Mentoring 101
What is mentoring?
Mentoring provides a structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement. The mentor is not a replacement for a parent, nor are they a counselor or teacher. Mentors are a sounding board and confidant to a young person.
How does mentoring make a difference?
There has been a great deal of international research carried out on the benefits of mentoring to a young person. Research by Joseph P. Tierney and Jean Baldwin Grossman and David L Dubois et al (see below), has shown that young mentees are:
-
Less likely to become involved in criminal activity,
-
Less likely to become involved in drug taking and alcohol abuse and
-
Less likely to leave school early
-
More likely to have improved academic performance
-
Have better relationships with their teachers and family compared to their peers who are not mentored.
Joseph P. Tierney and Jean Baldwin Grossman (Making a difference: an impact study of Big Brother/Big Sisters) and David L Dubois et al ('Effectiveness of mentoring programs for youth: A meta-analytical review', American Journal of Community Psychology)
