Glossary
Mentoring is not a one-size-fits-all proposition: what works for one child does not necessarily meet another child's needs. Therefore, the definition of mentoring has expanded to embrace a wide range of options - all centered around a caring adult providing support and guidance to a young person.
A Mentor May Be A: A Mentor Is Not A: Friend Foster Parent
Listener Therapist
Cheerleader Parole Officer
Coach Cool Peer
Tutor ATM Machine
Confidante Savior
Sometimes youth are mentored informally through a natural connection between themselves and a caring adult, like a relative, a next door neighbor, a teacher or coach, or someone through their place of worship.
There are also formal mentoring opportunities where there is a connection between a caring adult and a young person through an organized, mentoring-focused program.
One to One mentoring is the most often recognized mentoring relationship. This type of experience pairs one adult and one youth to form a friendship. An example is Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Twin Cities.
Team Mentoring is a group of at least two adults working together to mentor a young person(es). Minnesota Inner City Outings Program offers this experience.
Group mentoring is one adult volunteer building relationships with a group of young people. This includes scouting programs.
Family mentoring can mean two different things. One definition involves the whole family in mentoring a young person. Kinship affiliates including Kinship of Greater Minneapolis and Kids 'n Kinship offer families the opportunity to mentor a young person. Another definition means there are opportunities for individuals or groups of individuals to mentor a family. An example of this is the Salvation Army's Project Breakthrough.
E-mentoring allows mentors to exchange e-mails with young people via the Internet. This type of mentoring usually involves a partnership between a business and school.
Long-term commitment refers to a mentoring relationship that lasts a year or longer. This type of commitment is the most beneficial for a young person.
Short-term commitment refers to a relationship that lasts less than a year.
Where You Can Mentor
Community-Based
- Engage in more social activities.
- Have more contact with youth's family or guardian.
- More effective in affecting social outcomes.
- Usually sponsored by community organization.
School-Based
- Engage in more academic activities.
- Have more contact with teacher.
- More effective in affecting school outcomes.
- Usually sponsored by school.
Workplace-Based
- Engage in more academic-oriented activities.
- Have more contact with agen.
- More effective in affecting acedemic outcomes.
- Usually sponsored by workplace and nonprofit partner.
Faith-Based
- Engage in more activities with a faith-based theme integrated into activities.
- Have more contact with faith leader.
- More effective in affecting social and spiritual outcomes.
- Usually sponsored by faith organization.
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