Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series I Choose You: A Look at Youth Initiated Mentoring April 25, 2013

2013 Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series Planning Team Sarah Kremer, Friends for Youth Michael Garringer, Education Northwest Dana Gold, MP of SWPA Polly Roach, MP of Minnesota Tammy Tai, MENTOR Molly Brenner, MENTOR Meghan Ferns, Oregon Mentors

Good to Know… After the webinar, all attendees receive:  Instructions for how to access PDF of presentation slides and webinar recording  Link to the Chronicle of Evidence- Based Mentoring where we: Post resources Keep the conversation going Please help us out by answering survey questions at the end of the webinar.

Participate in Today’s Webinar All attendees muted for best sound Type questions and comments in the question box Respond to polls Who is with us today?

Today’s Webinar On the topic of Youth Initiated Mentoring Jean Rhodes, Ph.D. Sarah Schwartz (nearly) Ph.D. Q & A throughout the presentation (use the Q & A panel)

Jean Rhodes, PhD Dr. Jean RhodesDr. Jean Rhodes is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Massachusetts, Boston where she serves as Director of the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring. Rhodes has devoted her career to understanding the role of intergenerational relationships in the lives of disadvantaged youth. She is currently involved in a range of research projects that address the role of both formal and informal mentors in vulnerable groups, including children of prisoners, community college students, high school dropouts, adjudicated youth, and low-income children in after-school settings. Dr. Rhodes is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the Society for Research and Community Action, and was a Distinguished Fellow of the William T. Grant Foundation. Rhodes is Chair of the Research and Policy Council of the National Mentoring Partnership. She is author of Stand by me: The risks and rewards of mentoring today's youth (Harvard University Press), and is currently working on a book about moral and ethical decision making in adult-youth relationships (Harvard University Press ).

Sarah Schwartz Sarah Schwartz is a doctoral candidate in Clinical Psychology at University of Massachusetts-Boston. She has published studies investigating factors that influence the impact of school-based mentoring, including the relationship histories of students and the duration of mentoring relationships. She completed her dissertation on the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, in which youth select an adult they know to serve as a mentor during and after participation in a residential training program.

What is Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM)? An approach to mentoring where a youth nominates a nonparental adult from their existing social networks to be their formal mentor. Examples of potential mentors include; family friends, extended family, neighbors, teachers, coaches, afterschool providers, members of religious organizations etc.

Theoretical Basis for YIM  Incorporating youth voice and choice in the selection of mentors may increase the young person’s internal motivation and investment in the relationship.  Offsets some of the challenges associated with volunteer recruitment and the shortage of volunteer mentors.  Builds on strengths of natural mentoring while also providing structure to support the relationship development process.

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program  Intensive intervention program targeting youth ages who dropped out of high school  Embraced YIM model in early 1990s  Currently operates in 29 states  2nd largest mentoring program in the United States

Program: Residential Phase  (5 months) Highly structured programming includes GED, life skills, job skills, health, and leadership classes and activities  Frequently takes place on a military base; quasi-military model (no military requirement) Post-Residential Phase  (12 months) Transition back into communities  Supported by a mentor (YIM model) National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program

Program Results 9 months following entry into study remarkable success: Large effects for educational, vocational, behavioral, and health outcomes (Bloom, Gardenhire-Crooks, & Mandsager, 2009) 38 months following entry into study: Significant effects remained for some outcomes, not all: Significant educational and vocational effects; no effects for behavioral and health outcomes (Millenky, Schwartz, & Rhodes, in press).

Mentors in ChalleNGe Mentor Demographics Average age: 46.7 years old 83% same race or ethnicity as their mentee 26% living in same zip code as mentee 93% working full time; 4% retired; 3% unemployed; 1% working part time Mentor Selection 55% youth chose “mostly on their own” 37% parents helped choose 5% ChalleNGe staff helped choose 4% were chosen “some other way”(e.g. mentor asked youth)

YIM Relationships in ChalleNGe At 9 month follow-up: 76% participants reported contact with mentors – 34% weekly in-person contact – 47% weekly contact of any type (e.g. in-person, phone, written) At 21 month follow up: 74% participants reported contact with mentors – 27% weekly contact of any type At 38 month follow up: 56% participants reported contact with mentors

Outcomes & Benefits YIM relationships tend to be enduring (relative to traditional formal mentoring) Mentors chosen by youth and of the same race or ethnicity as mentees were most enduring Enduring relationships are associated with improved academic, vocational, and behavioral outcomes Mentors provided social- emotional support, guidance, and instrumental support In the context of the ChalleNGe Program...

YIM also may provide unique benefits: Instrumental support More prescriptive advice-giving Greater cultural similarity Acquisition of “help-recruiting” competencies (Balcazar, 1991) Builds upon and develops internal social capital in communities Outcomes & Benefits

Challenges of YIM  Screening (youth safety)  Training youth to make the ask  Youth can’t identify anyone  Rejection  Early termination  Managing Expectations (consistent contact)  Mentor Availability  Limited training opportunities for mentors

Elements of YIM o National Guard Youth ChalleNGe o YouthBuild USA o Alternatives to generic programming: i.e. recruitment, speed matching, closure/ transition planning, etc.

Considerations & Suggestions  Allow adolescent youth greater autonomy in selecting their mentors (e.g. mixers)  Teach youth “help recruiting” skills (how to tell their story, and how to ask for support)  Use YIM to transition youth from formal mentoring services.

Additional Resources Ready For Mentoring: A Guide for YouthBuild Students – Tips for how to approach potential mentors. National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Supporting the Transition to Adulthood among High School Dropouts: An Impact Study of the National Guard Youth Challenge Program – Study published by Sarah Schwartz, Jean Rhodes, and Megan Millenky Youth Initiated Mentoring: Natural Mentors + Youth Engagement = Stronger Outcomes – White paper on YIM published by Dare Mighty Things New mentoring research on the Chronicle for Evidence Based Mentoring –Summaries of the latest youth mentoring research.

Remember… After the webinar:  Everyone will get an with information on how to download the slides/recording  Continue the conversation at the Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring: Please help us out by answering survey questions at the end of the webinar.

2013 Collaborative Mentoring Webinar Series Thank you for participating today! Topic: Mentoring at Risk Youth (MARY) study with Drs. David DuBois of University of Illinois-Chicago; Janet Heubach of Washington State Mentors; and Carla Herrera formerly of Public/Private Ventures Registration will open next week on the MENTOR website. Sarah Kremer, Friends for Youth Michael Garringer, Education Northwest Meghan Ferns, Oregon Mentors Dana Gold, MP of SWPA Polly Roach, MP of Minnesota Tammy Tai, MENTOR Molly Brenner, MENTOR Next Webinar: May 16th, 2013 (back to third Thursday of the month )