The Mentoring Effect: Young People’s Perspectives on the Outcomes and Availability of Mentoring

This study, commissioned by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, shares the findings from a nationally representative survey of young people’s perspectives on mentoring. The report offers young people’s perspectives on mentoring in three areas: mentoring’s connection to outcomes, the value of mentors, and the availability of mentors. Researchers found that youth with mentors were more likely to engage in positive behaviors, such as setting higher education goals, volunteering, or participating in sports and extracurricular activities. Nearly all youth who had mentors believed the mentoring relationship was helpful and many were interested in becoming mentors themselves. However, mentors are not always available for youth. One in three young people do not have a mentor, and high-risk youth are even less likely to have a mentor. The report, guided by the voices of young people, offers recommendations to ensure that young people most in need have access to a quality mentor relationship and receive the adult supports they need to succeed in school, work, and life.