Recruiting Mentors for Youth

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1 for Youth Involved in the Juvenile Justice or Foster Care System The Technical Assistance and Training Program for Mentoring System-Involved Youth A mentor can change the life of a young person involved in the juvenile justice or foster care system. But recruiting mentors to work with system-involved youth can be challenging. Potential mentors may fear that mentoring these youth requires specialized knowledge or training that they don t possess. Mentoring programs serving youth in the foster care or juvenile justice system need to use strategic recruitment efforts to reach out to potential mentors. This publication provides guidance on recruiting mentors to work with system-involved youth. EDC Education Development Center, Inc. This project was supported by Grant No JU-FX-0161 awarded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. Points of view or opinions in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.

2 Identifying the People You Want to Recruit Successful mentoring requires a good fit between a youth and a mentor. A good match can lead to a meaningful mentoring relationship that endures at least a year and enables the young person to move toward positive outcomes. The following factors should be considered when deciding whom to recruit as mentors. What are youth looking for in a mentor? A recent review of research on mentoring programs found that when asked what they are looking for in a mentor, youth say they want a role model and someone with whom they can identify, share fun activities, and build a trusting relationship. The following three factors are important to consider in recruiting mentors for system-involved youth. 1. Common Background: Research shows that matching youth and mentors according to gender and race can facilitate relationship building. However, given the overrepresentation of youth of color in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, many mentoring programs have difficulty recruiting a sufficient number of mentors of color to serve the youth who would like to be mentored. Supporting the positive development of system-involved youth includes helping them to develop a positive racial or ethnic identity through their encounters with mentors and program staff. The following programmatic strategies can help in this process: 2. Common Life Experiences: Recruiting volunteers with life experiences similar to mentees can help to establish bonds between mentors and the youth with whom they are paired. For example, recovered addicts and individuals with criminal records may be able to forge a relationship with youth based on similar life experiences including involvement in the juvenile justice or foster care system. Some mentoring programs accept mentors with a criminal record if they have not committed a crime against a person and it has been at least five years since their last offense. Recruiting mentors who share life experiences with the youth in your program should be done thoughtfully and carefully. 3. Role Model: The mentor must be someone the youth can look up to. Because young males involved in the juvenile justice or foster care system often lack positive adult male role models, a strong, supportive male mentor can be crucial for them. Similarly, girls in the foster care or juvenile justice system often benefit from being paired with a strong, reliable female mentor. Because youth are often inspired to make progress when exposed to individuals who have attained significant goals, mentors should be encouraged to introduce mentees to the world outside the youth s current experience. Consistently share with youth positive messages about the assets and strengths of their racial or ethnic group. Encourage mentors to explore their own racial or ethnic background and their experiences with other racial and ethnic groups. Provide mentors with ongoing training about race, ethnicity, poverty, the foster care and/or juvenile justice systems, and youth culture. Train mentors and staff to acknowledge and celebrate mentees assets and strengths, as well as signs of positive development. 2

3 What makes a good mentor? Successful mentors have particular strengths that make them effective in working with system-involved youth. Volunteers who are strong across the following dimensions are most likely to make good mentors for vulnerable youth: Communication: The strongest mentors are those who express themselves clearly and coherently, both verbally and nonverbally. They are willing and able to interact with mentees in a nonjudgmental manner, allowing the young person to talk about personal issues in his or her own time. Skilled mentors respect their mentee s confidences as long as the health and safety of the youth and others are not at risk and they avoid being condescending or overly emotionally involved. Interpersonal Skills: Successful mentors are able to: relate well and get along with others, recognize and accept diversity, offer good advice when appropriate, exhibit patience and trust, interact with others without being judgmental, find humor in life, adapt to new situations, make suggestions without dictating, and see setbacks as opportunities to make improvements. Because few individuals possess all of these characteristics, mentor training should enable mentors to enhance these skills. Commitment: Mentors who work with system-involved youth must commit to meeting at least weekly with their mentee and to receiving ongoing supervision and periodic training. They must also understand that it is their responsibility to initiate and maintain contact with their mentee. Maturity: Mature mentors are able to coach mentees as they make decisions and solve problems. Successful mentors offer information and suggest alternatives, allowing the youth to make his or her own decisions. They are willing to reflect on their feelings and motives; they empathize with the mentee, but do not take on his or her problems. Positive Nature: The best mentors frequently express confidence in their mentee and offer encouragement, even when discussing thorny issues. Additionally, they offer concrete assistance when needed, including connecting youth to appropriate resources. Willingness to Be a Gatekeeper: A critical role for mentors of system-involved youth is helping mentees to access the services they need (e.g., mental health and/or substance abuse treatment, tutoring) and advocating with professionals in the juvenile justice and/or foster care systems to ensure that mentees needs are met. Two groups to consider as mentors are baby boomers and college students. Many retired baby boomers want to remain active; some welcome the opportunity to work with underserved, system-involved youth. College students bring the advantage of being familiar with youth culture and closer in age to mentees. Qualities of a Good Mentor for System- Involved Youth Committed to helping youth: genuinely cares about young people Dependable and consistent: does not cancel plans or arrive late Understanding: accepts the youth s ideas and views Patient: understands that it will take a lot of time to earn the youth s trust Nonjudgmental: knows the youth and/or the family are not bad people because of their current or past behavior Empathetic: sensitive to the youth s and family s feelings, problems, and circumstances Tenacious: takes responsibility for building the relationship Flexible and open-minded: willing to let the youth take the lead Good listener: listens without interrupting or telling the youth what to do Respectful of individuals and the law: models respect in words and behavior Results-oriented: helps the youth solve problems and identify solutions and opportunities Realistic: accepts and celebrates positive changes in the youth, no matter how small 3

4 Mentor Screening and Supervision It is essential to carefully screen and supervise all mentors, making the protection of youth the program s highest priority. While this publication does not address screening and supervision, the following resources are recommended: Ballasy, L., Fullop, M., & Garringer, M. (2008). Generic mentoring policy and procedure manual: Effective strategies for providing quality youth mentoring in schools and communities. A guidebook for program development. Washington, DC: Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence and The National Mentoring Center. Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, Third Edition. (2009). Alexandria, VA: MENTOR. Foundations of successful youth mentoring: Effective strategies for providing quality youth mentoring in schools and communities. A guidebook for program development. (2008). Washington, DC: Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence and The National Mentoring Center. Mentoring Program Manual, (2006). Indianapolis, IN: Aftercare for the Incarcerated through Mentoring. Reaching the People You Want to Recruit Word-of-mouth: People are more likely to volunteer when someone they know asks them to. Consider your personal contacts (family, friends, and colleagues) when recruiting mentors. Since individuals often associate with people similar to themselves, asking current mentors to recruit new mentors can be a good way to reach the type of volunteers you want to engage. Local leaders: Leaders of local government agencies, businesses, faith organizations, and professional and business associations may provide your program access to their employees or members. Meet with them to tell them about the program. The media: Focus on the media outlets that reach the segment of the community from which you want to recruit mentors. Write press releases, op-ed pieces, and letters to the newspaper that articulate the benefits of mentoring system-involved youth, highlight successful matches, and promote your program. Journalists are especially interested in first-person stories, so be certain to involve a mentor and a youth when talking to reporters. Marketing materials: Posters, brochures, and flyers can be used in conjunction with many of the strategies described here. Display them in local businesses, community centers, libraries, and other places frequented by the type of people you want to recruit. Marketing materials should describe the program and your need for volunteers. People are more inclined to volunteer for programs that have a solid reputation and enthusiastic support within the community. New mentoring programs should consider focusing on building visibility and community support. Established programs may need to explore how they are perceived by the community and how to market the program to reach more potential mentors. Be sure to tailor outreach strategies to the characteristics of the people you want to recruit. What do they read? Where do they shop, work, worship, and recreate? What community organizations do they belong to? And who in the community might be able to influence their decision to become a volunteer mentor? The following strategies can help build community support and recruit mentors: 4

5 The Internet: If your program does not have a website, you may be able to identify a volunteer or a young person served by the program to help develop one. If your organization cannot create a website, recruit volunteers using MySpace, Facebook, and Blogger, or try online resources such as Volunteer Match ( Volunteer Solutions ( or Idealist.org. Remember, to protect the safety of youth, never post photographs, names, or identifying information about them on the Web. Marketing the Benefits of Working with System- Involved Youth Potential mentors need to understand both the rewards and the challenges of working with system-involved youth. For some individuals, the notion of working with high-risk youth can be intimidating. You can help to dispel some of these fears by using the following strategies: Avoid negative labeling: Avoid referring to the youth as at-risk or juvenile offenders. Even the term foster children can trigger a negative stereotype. Some mentoring organizations refer to mentees as most vulnerable youth or system-involved youth. Emphasize that these young people are not bad; many have become involved in the system because of environmental and social forces outside their control. Focus on describing youth resiliency: Emphasize the assets of system-involved youth, especially their social competence, autonomy, and resiliency in the face of challenges. Explain that mentoring can help youth to build on these strengths with the support of trained mentors and program staff. Focus on the transformative power of mentoring: Describe the mentor s role in teaching skills such as problem-solving, decision-making, and how to access community resources. Be clear that the mentor is not responsible for changing the young person s behavior, but rather serving as a role model and sharing positive experiences with the youth. Provide an orientation session: Invite potential mentors to a meeting where staff describe the program and mentors and mentees talk about their experiences. Give potential volunteers a realistic sense of the commitment required. Emphasize the support available from your program: The life experiences, attitudes, and behaviors of young people involved with the foster care or juvenile justice system can introduce challenges to the mentoring relationship. Emphasize the support your organization provides to mentors (e.g., training, supervision, mentor support groups, group activities for mentors and mentees). Let potential mentors know that they will not be the sole support for a young person. Recruiting Men, Minorities, and People in Rural Areas Many mentoring programs have difficulty recruiting male mentors and volunteers who are members of a minority group. Mentoring programs in rural areas face additional challenges recruiting mentors. Recruiting Men Some men perceive mentoring (and all human-service work) as women s work. The following strategies can help to make mentoring more appealing to men: Make men visible in your program s offices, on marketing materials, during presentations and 5

6 recruitment drives, and at orientation and training sessions. Engage men quickly while their interest is high. Once a man applies, screen and train him within a couple of weeks to ensure that his interest doesn t wane. Since men tend to be activity- and goal-oriented in their relationships, create a concrete picture of the mentoring relationship by tying it to activities such as basketball, fishing, chess, or working with computers. Use language that appeals to men (e.g., challenging, satisfying, results-oriented ). Let men know they can make a difference in a young person s life. Avoid terms such as nurturing in favor of terms such as empowering. Make presentations at organizations with mostly male employees (such as police or fire departments); college fraternities; or meetings of social, fraternal, or service organizations (such as the Elks, Rotary, and Kiwanis). Set up information tables at sporting events or at do-ityourself hardware stores. Don t wait for men to contact your program reach out and ask them to become involved. Phrasing the request in a way that invites men to join a cause your program can foster their sense of belonging and desire to be constructive. Arrange for men who are uncertain about becoming a mentor to shadow a successful mentor with his mentee or invite them to participate in a group event for mentors and youth. from Minority Communities Recruiting mentors from racial or ethnic minority communities can seem challenging. Some strategies to consider include the following: Make sure the program reflects the traditions, values, and beliefs of youth and mentors, incorporating cultural values and language into activities and program materials. Develop connections with ethnic, religious, social, and professional organizations that can help to promote the program and identify people in the community who might be good mentors. Collaborate with well-established organizations to gain entry into the community. Follow up your presentations with appeals to individuals to become mentors. Talk with local leaders about strategies that have and have not worked in recruiting volunteers. Create an advisory committee that includes respected community leaders. Inviting elders to participate is especially important for reaching out to American Indians and other ethnic groups that value the authority of older people. Outreach and marketing efforts must reflect the language and culture of the individuals you are trying to recruit. In many cultures, offering food and greeting potential recruits at the door helps build personal relationships. Acknowledge that racial and socioeconomic pressures have created a shortage of minority mentors. Emphasize that mentoring is a way for people to support their community. Make use of media outlets that are popular among the groups you are trying to attract. Recruiting in Rural Areas Limited public transportation and geographical distances can make it challenging to recruit mentors in rural areas. Some rural communities have a tradition where it is frowned upon to interfere with other people s families, which can 6

7 result in additional obstacles to recruiting mentors. The following approaches can help in recruiting mentors in rural areas: Incorporate the local culture, values, and history into recruitment efforts. Solicit community champions to help access and communicate the need for mentors to local clubs, associations, or groups. Champions can also identify individuals who may make good mentors. Use media strategically (e.g., work with local media outlets to run public service announcements or feature articles on your program). Don t expect volunteers to come to you. Be present at community events and local gathering spots (e.g., popular coffee shops). Publicize a schedule for presentations about the program to potential volunteers. Identify a centrally located organization to host mentoring activities. Help mentors with transportation. Providing gas money can be a key factor in recruiting mentors in low-income rural areas. For more information on recruiting men, minorities, and people in rural areas, see the following resources: Mentor Michigan, Michigan Community Service Commission, Men in Mentoring Toolkit. Retrieved Faith-Based Organizations and Minority Recruitment May 30, 2010 from mentormichigan/0,1607, ,00.html. Rhodes, J. Spanning the gender gap in mentoring. Retrieved September 1, 2009, from mentoring.org/access_research/spanning. Garringer, M. (2005). Delivering quality mentoring services in rural and tribal settings: A case study of the North Dakota Tribal-Rural Mentoring Partnership. Mentoring Resource Center Case Study Series. Folsom, CA: Mentoring Resource Center. Hobbs, B. (2004). Latino outreach programs: Why they need to be different. Journal of Extension. 42 (4). Farley, C. (February). Amachi in brief. In Brief. 1: 1 3. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures. Mentor Recruitment Plan To create a mentor recruitment plan, consider the following questions. Answer questions 3 5 for each targeted group of people you are trying to recruit (e.g., African American college students, Latino women). 1. Whom do we want to recruit? 2. What recruitment materials do we need? How will we describe the youth we serve and the systems with which they are involved? 3. Which community leaders and organizations could we approach for help? 4. Which media outlets could help us get the word out? 5. At what locations could we meet potential mentors and talk with them about mentoring? Some mentoring programs recruit minority mentors through partnerships with the clergy of local congregations. Clergy members reach out to congregants who have relevant work experience (e.g., teaching, counseling, mental health or youth work, law enforcement) or a history of community service. One mentoring program focused on recruiting mentors from churches in neighborhoods with elevated youth offender rates, asking each church to identify 10 volunteers. The program also provided a modest stipend to each congregation to coordinate recruitment and mentoring activities. 7

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