Research-based, practitioner-approved standards for creating and sustaining quality youth mentoring programs and impactful mentoring relationships.
Resources
Explore our Mentoring Resource Library
Program Best Practices
Building Relationships
Becoming a Better Mentor
This resource, organized by chapters, provides real-world advice and tangible strategies to help caring adults “be there” for the young people in their lives.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion — Program Best Practices
May 2024 LENS Meeting Recap: SOGIE
Mx. Coley Alston, MPH and Program Director at Hugh Lane Wellness Foundation, shares more about SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity and expression) and how programs and caring adults can better support young people through the use of inclusive language.
Program Best Practices
April 2024 LENS Meeting Recap: Financial Aid Literacy
Amy Sawdey, PHEAA's Higher Education Access Partner, is sharing more about recent FAFSA changes and how to guide young people through the application process.
Program Best Practices
January 2024 LENS Meeting Recap: Mentor Recruitment Best Practices
TMP's January 2024 LENS Meeting was all about mentor recruitment best practices. Check out the recap for key highlights!
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion — Program Best Practices
Guide to Mentoring Boys and Young Men of Color
Helps mentoring programs leverage the power of group mentoring to benefit all participants.
Youth Sports
Everyday Mentoring Weekly Text Tips for Coaches
These Everyday Mentoring weekly text tips will help youth sports coaches better support their athletes on and off the field.
School-Based Mentoring
Relationship-Centered Schools: A Framework for Leveraging Mentoring School-Wide
Relationships matter now more than ever and especially in schools. TMP's Relationship-Centered Schools framework helps school districts activate the power of strong relationships for all students!
Program Best Practices
Post-Pandemic Volunteer Recruitment Strategies
Check out this recording from our May 2023 LENS Meeting (Learning, Engaging, Networking and Sharing) all about mentor recruitment strategies and approaches.
Youth Mental Health
Mentoring and Youth Mental Health Guide
Available in both English and Spanish, this guide shares information and resources about youth mental health and the unique role adults have in suporting mental wellness for all young people.
Youth Mental Health
Youth Mental Health Program Checklist
A checklist designed to help mentoring programs evaluate their youth mental health supports and resources.
Building Relationships
Making the Most of Mentoring
This activity card provides tips for youth on how to build their networks and map out their goals.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion — Program Best Practices
Inclusive Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Addresses how programs can adequately train mentors/staff members, design and evaluate their services and assess their policies and procedures to be more inclusive of those with disabilities.
Program Best Practices
Group Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Helps mentoring programs leverage the power of group mentoring to benefit all participants.
Peer Mentoring — Program Best Practices
Peer Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Research-based best practices to help practitioners and funders plan and deliver strong peer mentoring programs.
Program Best Practices — Workplace Mentoring
Workplace Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
A how-to guide of best practices for workplace mentoring programs.
Program Best Practices
E-Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Best practices for e-mentoring programs.
Program Best Practices — Diversity, Equity, Inclusion
LGBTQ Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Step-by-step operations guidance to develop safer, more affirming and responsive mentoring relationships for LGBTQ+ youth.
Program Best Practices
Critical Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
An accessible, working collection of information and ideas that constitute a framework for critical mentoring.
Program Best Practices
STEM Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring
Research-backed and practice-based tips specifically for STEM mentoring programs.
Building Relationships
Everyday Mentoring
Everyday Mentoring recognizes that adults everywhere can make a mentoring difference for youth in their daily lives.
Child Development
What is Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
What is Mentoring
What is Mentoring
Role of Parents & Guardians
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
Benefits of Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
Benefits of Mentoring
Activity Ideas
Activity Ideas
Activity Ideas
Supporting Youth
Supporting Youth
Supporting Youth
Building Healthy Relationships
Building Healthy Relationships
Building Healthy Relationships
Communication Skills
Communication Skills
Communication Skills
Diversity
Child Development
Getting Started
Getting Started
Getting Started
Getting Started
Getting Started
Closure
Closure
Types of Closure - Webinar
This webinar defines types of closure and explains why closure matters.
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Goal Setting and Decision Making with Mentees
This resource includes tips and worksheets that mentors and mentees can use together when setting goals and making tough decisions.
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Monitoring & Support
Matching
Mentor Match Agreement
The following example contract can be used at the initial meeting between youth and mentors, setting the tone for the match.
Matching
Mentor Interview & Matching Form
This mentor questionnaire can be modified to an agency’s needs to help them match a mentor and mentee with similar interests.
Matching
Mentee Questionnaire - Grades 9-12
This mentor and mentee questionnaire can be modified to an agency’s needs to help them match a mentor and mentee with similar interests.
Matching
Mentee Questionnaire - Grades K-8
This mentor and mentee questionnaire can be modified to an agency’s needs to help them match a mentor and mentee with similar interests.
Matching
Matching
Important Predictors of Match Success
“Deep-level similarity”, such as values, beliefs, personality, and experience are more important predictors of match success than “surface-level similarity” such as gender, race, or ethnicity.
Training
Guide to Mentoring For Parents/Guardians
Directions for specific activities that can be used in mentee/youth trainings.
Training
Disconnected / Opportunity Youth - Webinar
This webinar includes tips for working with “disconnected/opportunity youth” (i.e., 14-24 year olds who are homeless, in foster care, or are unemployed or not enrolled in school).
Training
Training
Training
Pennsylvania Requirements for Training of Mandated Reporters
This site explains the new law (Act 31 of 2014) regarding child abuse recognition and reporting training that is now required for employees who work directly with children.
Training
Mentoring Partnership's Peer Mentor Handbook
This handbook, designed for peer mentors, covers much of the same material provided in the Mentor Training Guide in a style and language more accessible to younger mentors.
Training
Mentoring Overview Trifold Brochure
This brochure can be distributed to volunteers alongside the Mentor Training Guide for quick access to key terms and questions.
Training
Mentoring Partnership’s Mentor Training Guide
The Mentoring Partnership’s Mentor Training Guide covers a range of topics of interest to mentors, including the definition of mentoring, relationship development, and effective communication.
Training
Sample Mentor Job Description
This resource explains the roles and responsibilities of mentors.
It can be used in Mentor Orientation.
Training
Sample Mentor Code of Conduct
This resource explains the roles and responsibilities of mentors.
It can be used in Mentor Orientation.
Screening
Pennsylvania Requirements for Background Checks of Employees and Volunteers
This report explains the new law (Act 153 of 2014) regarding comprehensive criminal and child abuse background checks for employees and volunteers who work directly with children.
Screening
The Importance of Time & Trust in a Mentor
This article suggests that the amount of time spent in a mentoring relationship and the level of trust placed in the mentor are the most important facets of a relationship, above and beyond demographics (i.e., social class differences).
Screening
Generic Policies and Procedures Manual for Mentoring Programs
This manual includes a wealth of resources including sample mentor and mentee applications, sample mentor and mentee interview questions, screening procedures, and much more.
Screening
Mentee Applications/Parental Consent Forms
These example contracts can be administered to attain parent/guardian consent for children to participate in mentoring programs.
Recruitment
Recruitment
Recruiting Male Mentors
Recruiting male mentors is one of the greatest challenges programs report. The majority of mentors have been female while the majority of youths in need of a mentor have been male. Programs have learned that traditional recruitment techniques do not seem to motivate the male audience to become mentors. In order for children to have stable mentors in their lives the methods for recruiting men must change.
Recruitment
Motivating Volunteers to Become Mentors
Volunteer recruitment and retention are constant worries of mentoring programs; no mentoring program can survive without an adequate supply of individuals willing to volunteer time and energy long term to serve as role models and coaches.