Research In Action #6
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This document reviews the sixth issue of the 'Research in Action' series, focusing on school-based mentoring (SBM) as a prevalent form of mentoring in the U.S., with nearly 870,000 adults participating. Key findings suggest that while SBM has similar costs to community-based mentoring, its outcomes show comparable benefits, particularly in academic performance. The document outlines characteristics of effective SBM programs and emphasizes the need for adapting practices to better serve specific youth demographics.
Research In Action #6
- 1. RESEARCH IN ACTION ISSUE 6 School-Based Mentoring 1
- 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, an advisory 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. 2
- 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 3
- 4. Using the Research In Action Series • Research: a peer-reviewed article, written by a leading researcher, summarizing the latest research available on the topic and its implications for the field; • 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 • Resources: a list of additional resources on the topic for further research. 4
- 5. MPM Webinar Series • Review RESEARCH presented in peer- reviewed article • ACTION dialogue – how can you incorporate the research findings into your program? • Share RESOURCES with others in the field 5
- 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 6
- 7. Issue 6 - Overview • Introduction • SB & CB Approaches to Mentoring • SBM Outcomes • Characteristics of Effective Programs • Discussion 7
- 8. Introduction School-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. 8
- 9. SB v. CB Approaches to Mentoring Strengths of SBM Challenges of SBM Supervised matches Limited time Reach underserved Duration/pauses in children relationship Opportunities to Types of activities influence school available outcomes Often occur in Often occur in presence of peers presence of peers 9
- 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. 10
- 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 11
- 12. Big Brothers Big Sisters SBM Impact Study (Herrera et al., 2007) • Involved 10 BBBS • Mentored youth improved agencies & 1139 youth in more than non-mentored grades 4-9 peers in aspects of • 80% free or reduced school performance and lunch; single parent home behavior • 77% having difficulties in • More confident in 1 of 4 risk areas scholastic abilities • Average of 5 months • Size of benefits same as weekly mentoring BBBS CBM program – but only in school-related outcomes 12
- 13. CIS SMILE Impact Study (Karcher, 2007b) • 516 predominantly • Self-reported Latino(a) students in connectedness to grades 5-12 peers & self-esteem • Randomly assigned improved to supportive services • Did not find impacts in plus SBM other areas, including • Duration of grades & attendance relationships was • Size of program brief effects small 13
- 14. Impact Evaluation of the U.S. Dept. of Ed. Student Mentoring Program • 32 SBM programs • The Student with 2,573 students in Mentoring Program grades 4-8 did not lead to • Randomly assigned statistically significant to treatment or control impacts on students group in any of the three • Average length of outcome domains* • (1) academic achievement and relationship was 5.8 engagement; (2) interpersonal months relationships and personal responsibility; (3) high-risk or delinquent behavior 14
- 15. SBM – Who Benefits the Most? • Age of mentees • Gender of mentees • Characteristics of mentees • Not all youth benefit in Sitting at a table in a high same way – does not school cafeteria and talking with a boy about imply that SBM should his problems in front of stop serving youth with his peers is just not a good way to go. smallest benefits --Dr. Michael Karcher 15
- 16. Developmental variation in effects of SBM on connectedness to school for Latino/a youth 16
- 17. Outcomes: Mentoring improved self- esteem, connectedness, & social skills Elementary Middle High School School School Girls (only Some No Change, female mentors) change change equivocal Boys Greatly No Some got improved change worse Sex of Boys’ Male & Female Male & Same Sex mentors Mentors Female Mentors Mentors However, some groups benefited more 17
- 18. Characteristics of Effective SBM Programs • Mentor Support • Types of Activities • Increasing Longevity • Terminating Effectively • Summer Contact 18
- 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 19
- 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? 20
- 21. Share RESOURCES • MPM Training www.mentoringworks.org/traininginstitute • Web sites & PDFs www.delicious.com/traininginstitute • This presentation & others www.slideshare.net/traininginstitute 21
- 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 22
- 23. The Mentor Consulting Group Consulting firm led by Dr. Susan Weinberger, founder of the nation’s first school-based mentoring program – Two Decades of Learned Lessons from School-Ba 23
- 24. MENTOR/National Mentoring 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 Usi 24
- 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 during the 25
- 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 Mentoring 26
- 27. THANK YOU! • Next webinar is Wednesday, August 5; 12-1pm CST • Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring featuring Michael Karcher, Ph.D. 27