The Role of Risk: Mentoring Experiences and Outcomes for Youth with Varying Risk Profiles

The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation commissioned this independent evaluation to examine the effectiveness of mentoring programs. With a focus on seven mentoring programs in Washington State, the study assessed how benefits accrued by youth varied according to individual and environmental risk. “Individual risks” include behavioral challenges, social and academic functioning, and health; while “environmental risks” include challenges in the youth’s surrounding environment, such as poverty or living in a dangerous neighborhood. The findings indicated that mentored youth experienced fewer depressive symptoms, greater acceptance by their peers, more positive beliefs about their ability to succeed in school, and better grades in school. Although a 13-month follow-up survey showed that almost half of the youth had experienced at least one match closure, it also indicated that mentors faced different types of challenges based on their mentee youth’s risk profile. The authors identified a number of implications for practitioners and funders: 1) Training and support for matches should be tailored to the types and levels of risk experienced by youth. 2) Mentoring should be broadly available, as youth with varying levels and types of risk appear to derive important benefits. 3) Greater emphasis should be placed on the mental health needs of youth and the benefits that mentoring can provide in this area. 4) Efforts should continue to improve the strength and consistency of the benefits that youth derive from mentoring programs.