School-based mentoring: Perspectives of children, mentors, and program coordinators

Although enthusiasm for mentoring is high, program evaluation and documentation of children\u27s outcomes is less common. This study examined the effects of school-based mentoring programs from the vantage point of children ( N = 493), mentors (N = 365), and program coordinators (N = 54). Additionally, the study aimed to explore how the quality of a mentoring program was associated with children\u27s outcomes. To that end, a survey was developed to account for variation among programs and to determine which of the National Mentoring Partnership\u27s seven quality standards were adhered to by individual programs. ^ Results indicated that children generally reported high quality, close relationships with their mentor. In addition, children reported strong feelings of connectedness to their parents, and reported slightly lower feelings of connectedness towards their teachers. Children\u27s reports of academic self-concept were generally lower than the other subscale scores. Children\u27s self-reported changes occurred within the context of school (e.g., academic, motivational, or emotional changes) and home (e.g., emotional, social, and self-perception changes). ^ Mentors reported feeling very compatible with their mentee. Overall satisfaction and support from their families, their mentees\u27 parents, and the program in general was generally positive as well. Mentors were less likely to report that their mentee was emotionally available interested in obtaining assistance from the mentor. ^ Participating programs were evaluated on levels of adherence to the seven quality standards and found to be compliant with many of the standards. Truncated variance of the sample prevented testing of the hypothesized mediational model. Sampling strategies for future research are discussed. Issues related to the instrumentation utilized for the present study and suggestions for the further development of the project are presented.