1

RESEARCH IN ACTION

ISSUE 6

School-Based Mentoring

2

Research In Action: Overview of Series

Last year, MENTOR released the National Agenda for Action: How to Close America’s Mentoring Gap. Representing the collective wisdom of the mentoring field, the Agenda articulates five key strategies and action items necessary to move the field forward and truly close the mentoring gap. In an effort to address one of these critical strategies—elevating the role of research—MENTOR created the Research and Policy Council, anadvisory group composed of the nation’s leading mentoring researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

In September 2006, MENTOR convened the first meeting of the Research and Policy Council with the goal of increasing the connection and exchange of ideas among practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to strengthen the practice of youth mentoring. The Research in Action series is the first product to evolve from the work of the Council—taking current mentoring research and translating it into useful, user-friendly materials for mentoring practitioners.

3

Research In Action Issues:

Issue 1: Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting PYD

Issue 2: Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices

Issue 3: Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs

Issue 4: Fostering Close and Effective Relationships

Issue 5: Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End

Issue 6: School-Based Mentoring

Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

Issue 8: Mentoring Across Generations: Engaging Age 50+ Adults

Issue 9: Youth Mentoring: Do Race and Ethnicity Really Matter?

Issue 10: Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

4

Using the Research In Action Series

1. Research: a peer-reviewed article, written by a leading researcher, summarizing the latest research available on the topic and its implications for the field;

2. Action: a tool, activity, template, or resource, created by MENTOR, with concrete suggestions on how practitioners can incorporate the research findings into mentoring programs; and

3. Resources: a list of additional resources on the topic for further research.

5

MPM Webinar Series

1. Review RESEARCH presented in peer-reviewed article

2. ACTION dialogue – how can you incorporate the research findings into your program?

3. Share RESOURCES with others in the field

6

Issue 6 – School-Based Mentoring

• Michael Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio

• Carla Herrera, Ph.D., Public/Private Ventures

7

Issue 6 - Overview

• Introduction

• SB & CB Approaches to Mentoring

• SBM Outcomes

• Characteristics of Effective Programs

• Discussion

8

IntroductionSchool-based mentoring is now the most common form of formal mentoring in the U.S.

Close to 870,000 adults are mentoring children in schools.

9

SB v. CB Approaches to Mentoring

Strengths of SBM Challenges of SBM

Supervised matches Limited time

Reach underserved children

Duration/pauses in relationship

Opportunities to influence school outcomes

Types of activities available

Often occur in presence of peers

Often occur in presence of peers

10

Costs for SBM & CBM

• Costs are similar – about $1,000 per match per year.

When determining program’s potential value, costs must be weighed with type of services being provided and population being served.

Considering outcomes yielded for a given price is likely a better strategy.

11

SBM Outcomes

• 2002 meta-analysis found similarly “small” effects for SBM, CBM, and other mentoring programs

• Results from several studies since then suggest that SBM does provide benefits that are comparable in size to those achieved in CBM

12

Big Brothers Big Sisters SBM Impact Study (Herrera et al., 2007)• Involved 10 BBBS

agencies & 1139 youth in grades 4-9

• 80% free or reduced lunch; single parent home

• 77% having difficulties in 1 of 4 risk areas

• Average of 5 months weekly mentoring

• Mentored youth improved more than non-mentored peers in aspects of school performance and behavior

• More confident in scholastic abilities

• Size of benefits same as BBBS CBM program – but only in school-related outcomes

13

CIS SMILE Impact Study (Karcher, 2007b)• 516 predominantly

Latino(a) students in grades 5-12

• Randomly assigned to supportive services plus SBM

• Duration of relationships was brief

• Self-reported connectedness to peers & self-esteem improved

• Did not find impacts in other areas, including grades & attendance

• Size of program effects small

14

Impact Evaluation of the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Student Mentoring Program• 32 SBM programs

with 2,573 students in grades 4-8

• Randomly assigned to treatment or control group

• Average length of relationship was 5.8 months

• The Student Mentoring Program did not lead to statistically significant impacts on students in any of the three outcome domains*

• (1) academic achievement and engagement; (2) interpersonal relationships and personal responsibility; (3) high-risk or delinquent behavior

15

SBM – Who Benefits the Most?

• Age of mentees• Gender of mentees• Characteristics of

mentees• Not all youth benefit in

same way – does not imply that SBM should stop serving youth with smallest benefits

Sitting at a table in a high school cafeteria and

talking with a boy about his problems in front of his peers is just not a

good way to go.

--Dr. Michael Karcher

16

Developmental variation in effects of SBM on connectedness to school for Latino/a youth

17

Outcomes: Mentoring improved self-

esteem, connectedness, & social skills

However, some groups benefited more

Elementary School

Middle School

High School

Girls (only female mentors)

Some change

No change

Change, equivocal

Boys Greatly improved

No change

Some got worse

Sex of Boys’ mentors

Male & Female Mentors

Male & Female Mentors

Same Sex Mentors

18

Characteristics of Effective SBM Programs• Mentor Support

• Types of Activities

• Increasing Longevity

• Terminating Effectively

• Summer Contact

19

Conclusions• SBM programs must adjust to

the structure of the school• New mentor training, staff

support and match maintenance efforts, such as summer contacts, will be necessary for SBM to reach its potential

• Important to adapt SBM to better suit specific needs of boys and girls of specific ages

20

ACTION Dialogue

• Questions for Dr. Herrera and Dr. Karcher?

• What benefits/constraints do you see in SBM?

• Where does the recent US Department of Education study of SBM fit in?

• Have you taken the “Is Your SBM Program Effective?” quiz?

21

Share RESOURCES

• MPM Training www.mentoringworks.org/traininginstitute

• Web sites & PDFs www.delicious.com/traininginstitute

• This presentation & others www.slideshare.net/traininginstitute

22

Public/Private Ventures (P/PV) is a national leader in creating and strengthening programs that improve lives in low-income communities. – School-Based Mentoring resources– Recent mentoring publications– Major mentoring initiatives

23

The Mentor Consulting GroupConsulting firm led by Dr. Susan Weinberger, founder of the nation’s first school-based mentoring program–

Two Decades of Learned Lessons from School-Based Mentoring

24

MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership

The leader in expanding the power of mentoring to millions of young Americans who want and need adult mentors.– High School Mentor Activity Report– How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program

Using the Elements of Effective Practice

25

National organization that provides training and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs. – ABC’s of School-Based Mentoring,

Technical Assistance Packet– Keeping Mentoring Relationships Going du

ring the Summer Months, Fact sheet

26

Federal government agency that provides funding, resources, and guidelines for schools and mentoring efforts throughout the country. – Impact Evaluation of Student Mentoring

Program – Yes, You Can: A Guide for Establishing Mento

ring Programs to Prepare Youth For College

27

THANK YOU!

• Next webinar is Wednesday, August 5; 12-1pm CST

• Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring featuring Michael Karcher, Ph.D.