Youth Wise 2442 NW Market St, #402 Seattle, WA 98107
939.545.6217 info@youthwise.org
"One of the strongest conclusions that can be drawn from the research on mentoring is the importance of providing mentors with support in their efforts to build trust and develop a positive relationship with youth. Volunteers and youth cannot be simply matched and left to their own devices; programs need to provide an infrastructure that fosters the development of effective relationships."
Cynthia L. Sipe
Mentoring Adolescents: What Have We Learned?
Cynthia L. Sipe
Mentoring Adolescents: What Have We Learned?
Mentor Support System
Every prospective Youth Wise Mentor goes through a thorough screening and matching process. Once approved and matched, Youth Wise Mentors are not alone in their mentoring efforts. They become part of a support system and community that provides Training, Coaching, and Feedback that lasts for the duration of the Mentor/Mentee match.
Training - Once a month all of the Mentors within a Youth Wise Mentoring area (or if they are with a Mentoring Alliance church or organization they would meet with those mentors) meet to get ideas from each other and receive expert Training on how to be a successful youth mentor.
Coaching - Once a month each Mentor meets with a mentoring Coach for help and guidance with the match and for personal support. Coaches also contact the Mentee and parent once a month and can play an important role in helping a match continue when it experiences difficulties.
Feedback - Each week Mentors submit a Match Note after they have met with their Mentee. At the end of each month they submit an Update survey with their thoughts on how things are going with their match and how they think the program and training times can be improved. On a quarterly basis they have an official Feedback meeting with their Coach to help the Mentors identify strengths as well as any potential weaknesses that they can work on. When the match has lasted 12 months they receive a Year-in-Review that gives them an outline of what they learned and how they have progressed.
Additionally, each mentoring Coach, Senior Coach, and Coordinator has a similar support system, with regular Training times, meetings with their supervisor, and their own feedback process comprised of Match Notes, Updates, Feedback meetings, and Year-in-Review meetings.
Training - Once a month all of the Mentors within a Youth Wise Mentoring area (or if they are with a Mentoring Alliance church or organization they would meet with those mentors) meet to get ideas from each other and receive expert Training on how to be a successful youth mentor.
Coaching - Once a month each Mentor meets with a mentoring Coach for help and guidance with the match and for personal support. Coaches also contact the Mentee and parent once a month and can play an important role in helping a match continue when it experiences difficulties.
Feedback - Each week Mentors submit a Match Note after they have met with their Mentee. At the end of each month they submit an Update survey with their thoughts on how things are going with their match and how they think the program and training times can be improved. On a quarterly basis they have an official Feedback meeting with their Coach to help the Mentors identify strengths as well as any potential weaknesses that they can work on. When the match has lasted 12 months they receive a Year-in-Review that gives them an outline of what they learned and how they have progressed.
Additionally, each mentoring Coach, Senior Coach, and Coordinator has a similar support system, with regular Training times, meetings with their supervisor, and their own feedback process comprised of Match Notes, Updates, Feedback meetings, and Year-in-Review meetings.
