What Does It Take To Keep a Mentoring Program Going?

Mentors should schedule routine visits with those they are mentoring and should be absolutely committed to keeping those appointments. Because they play such an important role in the lives of their assigned young friends, mentors need to treat every scheduled meeting, tutoring session, and outing -- even something as casual as meeting to share a soda after school -- as a high priority.

Most mentoring programs recommend that pairs meet at least once a month -- and more frequently in the beginning of a relationship. OJJDP's Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) calls for a significantly greater time commitment, recommending that mentors meet with their assigned young friends three times a month for 4 hours each time (a total of 12 hours per month) and requiring no less than 1 to 2 hours per week (totaling 4-8 hours per month).² Whatever time commitment you decide on, your program coordinators will need to check regularly with mentors and make sure that they are meeting this requirement. Mentors helping with schoolwork may need to arrange more frequent meetings.

Your training program should show mentors how to take advantage of all kinds of situations -- even running errands with the younger person -- to create opportunities for learning and thoughtful, caring communication. Supply mentors ideas for social outings. Recommend, for example, participating in a book group for youth at a local library; visiting a museum or park; attending a concert, movie, or sporting event; taking part in community festivals; or doing volunteer work together for elderly or needy residents in your community. Encourage mentors to help their young friends develop new interests and have exciting new experiences. It may be possible for members of your group to obtain discount tickets to programs or shows at theaters, concert halls, museums, or other community establishments.

Planning a Successful Project

For more information on how to plan a successful project, see the National Youth Network's Planning a Successful Crime Prevention Project. This 28-page workbook explains the five steps of the Success Cycle:

Assessing Your Community's Needs.
Planning a Successful Project.
Lining Up Resources.
Acting on Your Plans.
Nurturing, Monitoring, and Evaluating.

The workbook includes six worksheets for you to take notes on. You can get a copy of this planning workbook from the Juvenile Justice Clearinghouse, listed in the Resources section. Good luck!

The primary element required for an effective mentoring program is time. Every mentor agrees to a minimum time commitment, as does the younger person being mentored.

Community support is another important ingredient. Volunteers can staff the program (as mentors, trainers, coordinators), but support from persons outside your group is also required for the program to be a success. Adults may form an advisory board or resource group to offer ideas and serve as a link to community training, services, and activities for your program. Teachers, administrators, counselors, and librarians from your local schools, for example, may agree to meet with mentors once a month to answer questions, provide lesson plans, and offer tips on how best to show support and provide guidance to the children being mentored.

2 For more information on JUMP and other mentoring programs, refer to OJJDP's Bulletin, Mentoring -- A Proven Delinquency Prevention Strategy, available at no charge from JJC, listed in the Resources section.