[Ken Marsh]

A Small Report on Mentoring Programs

“A lot of people have gone further than they thought they could because someone else thought they could." - Unknown

Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………….Page 3

Section 1: The Different Landscapes of Mentoring Programs……………………Page 3

Section 2: Case Studies of Successful Mentoring Programs……………………...Page 4

A. ACE Mentor Program – Dorsey High School
B. Winning Futures – Michigan
C. Everybody Wins Power Lunch Program – Washington D.C.

Section 3: Strategies for Developing a Mentoring Program……………………….Page 6

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………….Page 7


Introduction

The following report highlights useful information when forming a mentoring program. It is intended to provide perspective on the topic and provide useful tips from different sources on the elements of effective mentoring programs, and the different ways an effective mentoring program can be structured. The report itself is not meant to be a strict how-to guide. It is instead meant to be an extra tool in the process.

Section 1: The Different Landscapes of Mentoring Programs

There are a multitude of mentoring programs across California and the United States. Different mentoring program databases can have up to hundred of mentoring programs for states alone. While the fundamental element of a mentoring relationship is simple, the effects have been proven time and time again to be immensely valuable for those that are mentored. In a recent study by the Principals’ Partnership, high school youth that take part in “carefully planned, long-term mentoring programs have higher grade-point averages, are most likely to attend college or post-secondary training programs, and report improved social and family relationships. Additionally, students are less likely to drop out of school, carry weapons, use drugs, or engage in other high-risk behaviors.”

In an academic setting mentoring programs can take many forms. What distinguishes mentoring programs is not necessarily its focus, but rather “to be effective, a mentoring program requires training for potential mentors, careful matching of mentors and children being mentored, and ongoing support to maintain and improve the mentoring relationship.”

Here are some of the different types of mentoring programs as noted by the Principals’ Partnership research brief on mentoring programs:

Academic Mentoring: This model focuses on academic preparation with tutoring and enrichment.
School Adjustment Mentoring: This model focuses on skill development and behavior development. “Emphasis is placed on nurturing self-esteem, social and behavioral skills, and academic motivation.”

Career Mentoring: These mentoring programs focus on Career Development and Skill Development.

Project Based and Community Mentoring: This model has youth and adults working together to “complete projects or help others in their community.” Examples include mural painting or tutoring youth.

Group Specific Mentoring: These mentoring programs have adults partnered with youth in specific demographic groups. Successful models can be found in African American communities and with groups of Professional Women. The concept of role model is emphasized in this model.

Electronic Mentoring: Electronic Mentoring consists of e-mail exchange on a constant basis. These exchanges can incorporate elements from all of the previous models, and is usually used to save costs and reach parties across long distances.

Section 2: Case Studies of Effective Mentoring Programs

The following are case studies of Mentoring Programs that have received much acclaim and are diverse in location and practices.

A.C.E. Mentor Program – Dorsey High School

A.C.E. stands for Architecture, Construction, and Engineering. According to ACE, their mission is to engage, excite, and enlighten high school students to pursue careers in the integrated construction industry through mentoring. Along with mentoring, ACE also provides scholarships and grants to students. ACE was originally founded in DC and currently operates as a non-profit. Currently it operates in over 200 cities in the U.S.

The ACE model works like an actual design project. “Teams are composed of 15-25 students and their industry mentors. Each team is set up to emulate an actual design team with students guided through a mock design project by their architect, engineer, and construction management mentors. Several companies are assigned to each team as they work towards a final project.” The duration of the program runs for a school year with fifteen two-hour sessions. Sprinkled with this are events like college nights and field trips to construction sites. The culmination is a presentation night where students present their projects and findings to family, school, and the community.

According to ACE, more than 11,000 students take part in the program. For the program itself, “no school time is used, no school funds are needed.” This is because students meet after school with dedicate mentors and the experience reinforces material students learn in class from math, physics, arts, computer skills, and other subjects. Not only that, but mentors provide students with recommendations for jobs and colleges.

The program itself has been implemented in Dorsey High School with great success. Dorsey High School itself has different career mentoring programs including a police academy mentoring program. One testimonial from student in Dorsey on the ACE website that “The ACE program has taught me new skills that will help me in college. Because of ACE, I want to mentor when I graduate from college and excite others about the construction industry.”

Winning Futures - Michigan

Winning Futures is a non-profit that runs mentoring programs and workshops in high schools in Southeast Michigan. Their programs focus on “character value identification, goal setting, career preparation, and strategic planning.” The program operates with a high emphasis on curriculum and workshops.

The Winning Futures program operates its mentor program by matching students with designated mentors. Twenty one-hour sessions with mentors are held throughout the year. Aiding their mentoring program is their life skills curriculum called the Winning Futures Curriculum. Packages of the curriculum are available for organizations that include workbooks, scripted manuals, and training programs.

Besides the mentoring program, Winning Futures also operates 5 to 15 one-hour workshops throughout the year for students. “Workshops for teens include academic achievement, goal setting, career planning, and job readiness skills.” Winning Futures also operates a essay contest that offers a $2,500 scholarship as a prize, and is paired up with a another mentoring program in the state to increase the number of students reached.

The results have been impressive. According to Winning Futures:

• Over 90 percent of students plan to continue their education at a higher level.
• Nearly 100 percent believe they can accomplish their career goals.
• More than 80 percent have a better understanding of their values.
• All participants believe they can set realistic, detailed goals.

Everybody Wins! Power Lunch Program – Washington D.C.

Everybody Wins is another non-profit that operates a mentoring program in the DC area. While they have numerous literacy and academic programs aimed at tutoring and supporting students, what distinguishes them is their “Power Lunch Program. This program operates in elementary schools, but has unique potential for high-school students.

“Power Lunch is a lunchtime literacy and mentoring program that brings groups of adult volunteers into low-income elementary schools for one-on-one read aloud sessions with students.” When an adult mentor arrives at the school, they check out a book with their student, and the pair reads the book together. “Our simple equation - one mentor, one child, one book at a time - works. Evaluation proves that Power Lunch students improve reading skills and attitudes, increase reading confidence and score higher on standardized tests.” Some sites utilize a Power Breakfast.

While this particular example is utilized in elementary school, the potential of lunch meetings can be a nice transition for mentor programs in different age groups. While this program emphasizes literacy, this model could work in a career mentoring setting if the right structure is placed.

Section 3: Strategies for Developing a Mentoring Program

There are numerous resources a person can utilize for reference when starting a mentoring program. The following is an except from the National Criminal Justice Reference Service on things to consider when developing a Mentoring Program.

“When starting your mentoring program, decide what the minimum (weekly or monthly) time commitment for mentors should be. Include time required for training, meeting with the young person being mentored, following up on any issues that arise, attending sessions with other mentors, and learning about available resources. Emphasize to your volunteer mentors that they must not only serve as role models, but be able to provide sound advice and accurate information on issues ranging from schoolwork to family relationships to peer pressure. If tutoring will be part of your program, recognize that you will need to match the academic and interpersonal skills of the mentor with the educational needs of the youth being tutored. Obviously, personal compatibility is at the core of the match. You may have to assign pairs more than once before finding just the right match.

Next, consider where and how you will recruit or identify younger people to be mentored. A school's guidance office or a community day care or recreation center may be able to work with your program and supply names of students in need of support or guidance. Sometimes you can work with or "adopt" a single elementary, middle, or junior high school in your area and mentor students from that school only. In that case, you may be able to develop strong ongoing relationships with teachers, counselors, and administrators in the school and meet regularly in the school's cafeteria, auditorium, or classrooms. In addition, fewer transportation obstacles will exist when dealing with only one school. Having safe activities in convenient locations is essential.

Once you have decided whom you will be mentoring, talk with the parents or guardians of these children to secure their understanding of and commitment to your program. Explain how the mentoring process will work and the potential benefits to the children being mentored.”

Alongside this, the Principals’ Partnership provides a nice checklist to consider when starting a mentoring program.

Successful Mentoring Programs:
• Are well planned and structured to provide high levels of interaction between students and their mentors.
• Are driven by the needs and interest of students.
• Are based on clear goals and objectives derived from careful assessment of needs and resources.
• Include structured activities as well as significant opportunity for informal interaction.
• Provide support and training for mentors.
• Provide occasional opportunity for group activities involving students and their mentors.
• Include an evaluation component designed to engage all involved in a process of continuous improvement.

In the beginning:
• Make a careful assessment of needs and resources.
• Identify key personnel. The most successful programs have a paid coordinator, but many depend entirely on volunteers.
• Set clear and specific goals.
• Advertise and promote your program to potential volunteers or supporters using brochures and newsletters.
• Establish criteria for selecting students and mentors.
• Utilize existing groups such as local corporations, universities or military bases when looking for volunteers.
• Establish procedures for screening and training mentors.
• Provide some sort of progress report to both volunteers and students.
• Provide written rules and procedures in the form of a handbook.
• Be patient. The most effective programs facilitate long term relationships; success does not come easily or overnight.
• Don’t reinvent the wheel unless your situation is truly unique. There are thousands of mentoring programs operating successfully in our nation’s schools; most are very willing to share their planning documents, brochures, handbooks and other materials. Several websites designed to share information between programs are included in the resource list below.

Conclusion

Hopefully some of the information in this short report will prove useful during the formation of a mentoring program. Once again the report is not meant to be a strict how to guide, but simply a space for perspective and a resource to aide in the process.
If there is interest in learning about other mentoring programs around the country, more information can be found at:
http://www.islandnet...html#COMSTUDENT

Thank you for taking the time to read this and good luck.