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## Other Youth Topics

## Breadcrumb

            -  Youth Topics 
            -  Mentoring 
            -           Starting a Mentoring Program      

# Starting a Mentoring Program

Developing a mentoring program is a great way to get involved and make a valuable contribution in your community. Taking time to plan carefully before the program begins can eliminate a lot of barriers during the implementation process.
                      - Assess the needs and resources available in the community and see if there are existing programs with a similar mission or with which you might be able to collaborate. Learn more about  community assessments  and view other youth serving programs  in your area .
                      - Design the parameters of the program.	                         - Define the youth population that will be served.		                           - Consider age, gender, mentoring need, and common characteristics.
                        - Identify who you will recruit as mentors.
                        - Determine the type of mentoring relationships  (e.g., who will be served, and how they will be served?).
                        - Determine the focus of the mentoring relationships.		                           - Academic
                          - School to career
                          - Positive youth development
                        - Determine where the mentoring sessions will occur.
                        - Determine how often mentors and mentees will meet and the desired length of the mentoring matches.
                        - Determine desired outcomes.
                        - Determine if the program will stand alone or collaborate with other programs.
                        - Identify key stakeholders and generate buy-in.
                        - Plan how the program will be evaluated.
                        - Develop policies and procedures to support the program.		                           - Establish a case management protocol to ensure communication with mentors and mentees.
                      - Plan how the program will be managed (e.g., organizational structure).	                         - Identify a management team.		                           - Ensure clear roles.
                        - Establish policies and procedures.
                        - Implement ongoing training.
                        - Develop a financial plan (e.g., securing funding streams, establishing internal controls).
                      - Implement the program.
                      - Continuously evaluate the program and adjust as needed (MENTOR, 2005).

One way to get additional assistance in both the planning and implementation stages is to reach out to a national mentoring organization or collaborate with other community organizations, schools, businesses, and programs in order to access resources and learn from the experiences of others.

## References

MENTOR. (2005). *How to build a successful mentoring program using the elements for effective practice.* Retrieved from http://www.mentoring.org/program_resources/elements_and_toolkits?eeptoolkit

## Other Resources on this Topic

### Announcements 

                          - 2014 National Mentoring Summit
                          - Building Staff Co-Regulation to Support Healthy Relationships in Youth: A Guide for Practitioners
                          - Department of Justice Awards More Than $136 Million to Support Youth and Reform the Juvenile Justice System
                          - Measuring Co-Regulation: A Draft Tool for Observing Educators in Youth-Serving Programs
                          - National Adoption Month 2022
                          - Nationwide Pre-Apprenticeship Initiative
                          - Report: Building Co-Regulation Capacity to Support Positive Development for Youth with Foster Care Experience
                          - Report: Mentoring in Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts
                          - Report: Promoting Healthy Futures: Afterschool Provides the Supports Parents Want for Children’s Well-Being
                          - Resource: $63 Million to Expand Community Schools and Increase Social, Emotional, Mental Health, and Academic Support for Students, Educators, and Families
                          - Resource: Building Educator Pipelines Through Service 
                          - Resource: Co-Regulation in Practice Series -- Strategies for Practitioners Who Serve Youth Aged 14-24
                          - Resource: Co-regulation: What It Is and Why it Matters Video
                          - Resource: Financial Aid Toolkit for Counselors
                          - Resource: How to Help Children and Teens Manage Their Stress
                          - Resource: John H. Chafee Foster Care for Successful Transition to Adulthood Program Resource List
                          - Resource: Mentoring as a Component of Reentry
                          - Resource: Mentoring for Enhancing Career Interests and Exploration
                          - Resource: Mentoring for Enhancing School Attendance, Academic Performance, and Educational Attainment
                          - Resource: Mentoring for Preventing and Reducing Substance Use and Associated Risks among Youth
                          - Resource: National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Aligned Programs in all 50 States
                          - Resource: NCFY
                          - Resource: Practitioner’s Toolbox
                          - Resource: Resilience, Opportunity, Safety, Education, Strength (ROSES) Program
                          - Resource: School Resource Officers, 2019–2020
                          - Resource: The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth
                          - Resource: The National Partnership for Student Success
                          - Resource: Toolkit for Implementing Authentic Youth Engagement Strategies Within State Advisory Groups
                          - Resource: Tools for Mentoring Organizations to Strengthen Match Support and Closure
                          - Resource: We Meet Them Where They Are: The Importance of Mentoring as a Component of Youth Gang Violence Intervention
                          - Resource: Youth Advisory Councils
                          - Resources for Professionals and Others Supporting Young People During Times of Uncertainty
                          - Review: Mentoring for Children of Incarcerated Parents
                          - Share with Youth: Next Legends
                          - Webinar Series: Building Your Program: Empowering Grassroots Mentoring
                          - Youth Voices Have Moved to YE4C

### Feature Articles 

                          - A Match Made in Pittsburgh Cultivates a Young Girl's Strengths
                          - Engineering students mentor at middle school with STARBASE
                          - Girls Mentoring and Education Service
                          - Healthy Youth Development through Self-Regulation and Co-Regulation
                          - Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C
                          - Secretary Duncan Hosts First Meeting with National Council of Young Leaders
                          - Youth Speakers Share Their Hopes for the Future

### Programs 

                          - National Guard Youth Challenge Program
                          - Neighborhood Networks
                          - Reintegration of ExOffenders Program
                          - Seniorcorps - Foster Grandparent Program
                          - YouthBuild

### Publications 

                          - Adventures in Parenting
                          - Juvenile Mentoring Program: 1998 Report to Congress
                          - Juvenile Mentoring Program: A Progress Review
                          - Make a Friend-Be a Peer Mentor
                          - Mentoring Resources
                          - Mentoring-A Proven Delinquency Prevention Strategy
                          - My Brother’s Keeper Task Force Report to the President

### Resources 

                          - Report: Mentoring in Juvenile Treatment Drug Courts
                          - Report: My Brother’s Keeper 2016 Progress: Two Years of Expanding Opportunity and Creating Pathways to Success
                          - Resource: Mentoring as a Component of Reentry
                          - Resource: The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth
                          - Resource: Tools for Mentoring Organizations to Strengthen Match Support and Closure
                          - The My Brother's Keeper Initiative

### Technical Assistance 

                          - AmeriCorps Resource Center

### Tools & Guides 

                          - 3 Bold Steps for School Community Change
                          - AmeriCorps: National Mentoring Month
                          - Best Practices Guide on Mentoring Youth with Disabilities
                          - Tip Sheet for Mentors: Supporting Children Who Have an Incarcerated Parent

### Videos & Podcasts 

                          - Become a Mentor - Etienne & Don'Trae 30 Second PSA 2014
                          - Watch: Youth Describe Their Most Meaningful Relationships

### Websites 

                          - National Mentoring Resource Center
                          - Resource: Mentor.gov
                          - The Mentoring Effect

### Youth Topics 

                          - Mentoring

## Youth Briefs

How Individualized Education Program (IEP) Transition Planning Makes a Difference for Youth with Disabilities
Youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA 2004) and especially young adults of transition age, should be involved in planning for life after high school as early as possible and no later than age 16. Transition services should stem from the individual youth’s needs and strengths, ensuring that planning takes into account his or her interests, preferences, and desires for the future.

Youth Transitioning to Adulthood: How Holding Early Leadership Positions Can Make a Difference
Research links early leadership with increased self-efficacy and suggests that leadership can help youth to develop decision making and interpersonal skills that support successes in the workforce and adulthood. In addition, young leaders tend to be more involved in their communities, and have lower dropout rates than their peers. Youth leaders also show considerable benefits for their communities, providing valuable insight into the needs and interests of young people

How Trained Service Professionals and Self-Advocacy Makes a Difference for Youth with Mental Health, Substance Abuse, or Co-occurring Issues
Statistics reflecting the number of youth suffering from mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorders highlight the necessity for schools, families, support staff, and communities to work together to develop targeted, coordinated, and comprehensive transition plans for young people with a history of mental health needs and/or substance abuse.

Young Adults Formerly in Foster Care: Challenges and Solutions
Nearly 30,000 youth aged out of foster care in Fiscal Year 2009, which represents nine percent of the young people involved in the foster care system that year. This transition can be challenging for youth, especially youth who have grown up in the child welfare system.

Coordinating Systems to Support Transition Age Youth with Mental Health Needs
Research has demonstrated that as many as one in five children/youth have a diagnosable mental health disorder. Read about how coordination between public service agencies can improve treatment for these youth.

Civic Engagement Strategies for Transition Age Youth
Civic engagement has the potential to empower young adults, increase their self-determination, and give them the skills and self-confidence they need to enter the workforce. Read about one youth’s experience in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC).

## Main navigation

- Mentoring
- Practice
- Adult Mentor Characteristics
- Relationship Types
- Relationship Characteristics
- Benefits for Young People
- Challenges & Lessons Learned
- Successful Relationships & Programs
- Starting a Program
- Federal Support
- References

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## Latest Resources

### Announcements

Resource: National Partnership for Student Success (NPSS) Aligned Programs in all 50 States

Webinar Series: Building Your Program: Empowering Grassroots Mentoring

Resource: School Resource Officers, 2019–2020

### Feature Articles

Healthy Youth Development through Self-Regulation and Co-Regulation

Just Launched! Redesigned YE4C

A Match Made in Pittsburgh Cultivates a Young Girl's Strengths

### Publications

Mentoring Resources

My Brother’s Keeper Task Force Report to the President

Mentoring-A Proven Delinquency Prevention Strategy

### Resources

Resource: Tools for Mentoring Organizations to Strengthen Match Support and Closure

Resource: The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth

Resource: Mentoring as a Component of Reentry

### Youth Topics

Mentoring