Creating Effective Community-Based Mentoring Relationships

1. Creating Effective Community-Based Mentoring Relationships

2. presenters Audrey Love Siegfried Admissions and Outreach Manager Capital Partners for Education audrey@cpfe.org 202-682-6020 ext. 228 Regina E. Leslie Director of Education Programs Capital Partners for Education regina@cpfe.org 202-682-6020 ext. 224

3. Objectives • Address elements that create effective, lasting community-based mentoring relationships including: • Creating effective matches • Preparing mentors and mentees for mentoring relationship • Providing ongoing support • Provide a framework and tools for practitioners and program staff to create and support these relationships effectively • Illustrate framework and tools with real-life examples of dynamic, DC based college preparatory mentoring program with 20 years of success.

4. CPE Mission and Overview • Founded in 1993, Capital Partners for Education (CPE) is a dynamic college preparatory program that helps motivated, low-income high school students in the Washington Metropolitan area overcome the academic and social barriers that may otherwise prevent them from attending and succeeding in the college of their choice. • CPE identifies students who live in neighborhoods with low-performing public high schools and empowers them to reach their full potential in high performing private and charter schools to prepare them for college success.

5. Our Mentoring Success • Since inception, 99% of our graduates have gone on to college, and 70% have graduated. • The overall quality of our mentoring program and commitment of our mentors allowed us a year with no student attrition and our seventh year in a row of 100% college enrollment. • Of our graduating seniors in the Class of 2012, 50% were matched with their mentors for all four years of high school. • For the 2011-12 school year, we retained 95% of our mentors and 80% fulfilled their two-year commitments. • 86% of our 2nd year mentors are on track to fulfill their two year commitment.

6. Our Mentoring Success • For the past two school years, we have recruited over 120 mentors to be matched with incoming and returning students. • For the Class of 2015, we established a mentor pool of 3.72 mentors to each incoming student. For the class of 2016, we increased our student class size by 52%, but still created a mentor pool of 1.82 mentors to each incoming student. • Mentors may wait three months to two years to be matched, and some will never be matched. • We maintain an active mentoring community of invested volunteers who return year after year as effective supports for our students and the attainment of their goals.

7. How to Create Effective Community-based Mentoring • Create Effective and Compatible Matches • Recruit the “Right Mentor” • Create Surplus of Mentors • Screen and Train • Compatibility Matching • Prepare Mentors and Mentees for Mentoring Relationship • Student Orientation and Parent Orientation • Mentor-Mentee Kick-Off Event • Mentoring Handbook • Ongoing Support • Staff Support • Resources

8. Creating compatible matches • Recruiting the “Right Mentor” • Create a surplus of mentors that are a good fit for your program and are “ready to be matched” (“mentor pool”) • Training and screening • Mentor-mentee input • Utilize identified compatibility “matching points”

9. Recruiting The “Right” Mentors • Clearly define: • Program model • Mentor expectations and commitment • Mentor roles and guidelines • Mentor screening and selection process • Recruitment and matching timeline

10. CPE Program Model • One-on-one Mentoring • Individualized Staff Support • Career and College Preparation • School Partnerships and Scholarships

11. CPE Mentoring expectations and Commitment • A two-year, one-on-one mentoring relationship • Meeting with individual student at least once per month • Emailing individual student at least once per week, using iMentor starting in 2013 • Weekly phone calls and use of other forms of communication to develop a more robust mentoring relationship • Consistent communication with CPE staff around student and mentor needs, as well as progress of mentor-mentee relationship.

12. CPE Mentor Roles Each mentoring relationship is tailored to the individual student through the matching process and case management, but all CPE mentors play the following key roles: • To serve as reliable and consistent role models, advisors, and resources for CPE students • To help students fulfill their academic potential • To help students develop socially • To help students broaden their awareness of their community and the world at large

13. Creating a surplus of mentors ready to be matched (“mentor pool”) • Messaging: Use best practices and research to create messaging that will assist you in recruiting mentors that are a “good fit” for your program. Clearly identify requirements of mentor candidate, commitment, program expectations, and timeline. • Analyze recruitment data to target recruitment to those sources with the highest yield of effective mentors. • Create a formal recruitment plan each year identifying specific recruitment goals, sources of recruitment, and a timeline for this recruitment. • Create year-long training calendar to support annual and periodic recruitment goals • Aim to create a “mentor pool” (recruit, train, and screen) 25-50% more “ready to be matched” mentors than ready to be matched students so that you can be selective in matching process

14. APPLICATION and Screening Process • Submission of a written application • Attending a 3-hour training/orientation • Individual in-person interview with program staff • Social security based background screening • Fingerprint based background screening • Professional and personal references from 2-4 people

15. New Mentor Orientation/TrainingScheduling and Follow-Up • Respond to all mentor inquiries within 48 hours, track source of all inquiries • Schedule 12-15 person orientation/trainings, 75% attendance • Provide concise reminder, with all pertinent details and follow-up procedures • Follow-up within 48 hours to schedule interviews providing logistics, i.e. hours, location, overview of process, procedures for securing interview

16. Orientation/Training Includes… • Program History and Component Overview • Student Profile and Understanding Adolescence • Qualities of Successful Mentors • Benefits of Mentoring • Roles of CPE Mentor • Stages of Mentoring Relationship • Communication and Problem Solving Strategies

17. Mentor Interview • In-person interview, approximately 45 minutes • Observation of nonverbal cues, tone, and manner in which answers are address are as important as answers themselves • Use interview as way of determining whether mentor is good fit for organization, will fulfill commitment, and will be a good support for your students • Interview Format: • Mentor’s motivation, expectations, and understanding of role • Review and delve into commitment and ability to meet expectations • Mentor preferences regarding the mentoring relationship • Scenarios

18. Matching for compatibility and match longevity • Seek to create a relationship that will be a beneficial, growth experience for both mentor and mentee • Gather information from written applications from the mentor and mentee, in-person interviews of the mentor and mentee, and a written survey of the student specifically related to mentoring • Matching Points to Consider • Gender • Personality traits • Interests/hobbies • Career • Academic background (including strengths and weaknesses) and high school experience • Mentor/mentee preferences • Needs of student/mentor experience and availability.

19. Prepare Mentors and Mentees for Mentoring Relationship • Student Orientation • Parent Orientation • Mentor-Mentee Kick-Off Event • Monitored, facilitated group mentoring session • Team building • Development of the individual mentoring relationship • At the conclusion of this event, mentors are provided with their individual mentee’s “profile” and our CPE Mentoring Handbook.

20. CPE Mentoring Handbook • Student and Parent Contact Information • CPE policies, expectations, guidelines • Resources to support the development of the mentoring relationship • “Tips and tools” around specific situations that mentors may encounter

21. Provide Ongoing Support • Staff support and case management • CPE sponsored events • Volunteer run “Mentor Committee” • Ongoing mentor trainings • Monthly newsletter • Mentor only online space

22. Staff Support and Case Management • Match pair with staff member. • Provide mentors with an individualized experience so that their mentee specific challenges and questions can be addressed and done so in a timely manner. • Ensure mentors know they are never alone and they feel equipped to effectively handle any situation. • Maintain consistent contact as outlined in program expectations. Our staff is in contact with each mentor at least every month, but provides support and updates to mentors as necessitated by each student.

23. STAFF SUPPORT and case Management • Many issues that may otherwise prevent a relationship from progressing or could lead to a premature termination of the mentoring relationship can be addressed more efficiently and effectively. • If a mentoring relationship is irreparable or is not conducive to the youth’s growth, conclude match appropriately following established standards of program. • Establish strong relationships with the mentors on caseloads. We engage in our mentors lives through celebration of mentors’ accomplishments and progress in their lives, while also supporting when things are not going as well.

24. CPE Sponsored Events • Quarterly workshops: freshman seminar, financial literacy, career readiness and employability skills, college readiness • College Tours • Community Service • Community Celebrations

25. Ongoing Trainings • Why? • Provide mentors with tips, tools, and resources pertinent to their mentoring relationships • Opportunity for mentors to share best practices with each other • Normalizes experience • Continues to bolster and strengthen mentoring community • Examples of topics • First Year Mentoring Experience • Developing and Supporting Healthy Relationships • Self-Advocacy • Developing Relationships with Parents and Families • College Process

26. Mentor Leadership Council • Volunteer run and managed, committee of 10-12 • Meet monthly to discuss, plan, and execute annual initiatives • Provide an added layer of support and engagement opportunities for current mentors. • Assist with recruitment.

27. Mentor Leadership Council • Facilitate mentor-mentee and mentor only interactions beyond those sponsored specifically by CPE. • Encourage interactions beyond the minimum requirements • Increase the cohesiveness and strength of community as a whole • Increase the opportunity for mentor-mentor interactions to share best practices, provide support, and develop friendships. • Each year, Mentor Leadership Council plans and executes: • Two 120-180 person community-wide events • 3-5 Mentor-Mentee outings • 3-5 Mentor only events

28. Monthly Newsletter • Mentor Program Updates: event announcements, upcoming trainings, event recaps • CPE Program Updates: upcoming student and community wide events, event recaps, programmatic news • Mentor of the Month: highlight mentor who has done an exceptional job for the month by going above and beyond with his/her mentee and/or over volunteerism with CPE, includes quote from mentee • Monthly Events: 8-15 area events that take place during the corresponding month (these events may be one-time events, occur over multiple days, or may have been ongoing events that are ending in the month). Events are freeor low cost, appeal to an array of interests, and take place over the course of the month. • Ongoing Events: 5+ events that take place during the corresponding month and extend into the following month and/or beyond. Events are free or low cost and appeal to an array of interests. • Tips, Tools, and Resources: Articles and best practices to support the growth of the mentoring relationships.

30. Mentor Only Online Space • Provide space for mentor interaction with each other • Communication from program staff • Weekly Updates: • Upcoming events • Discussion topic • Mentor-mentee pictures • Tips, tools, resources • Relevant articles

31. CPE Mentors FACEbook Page

32. Questions?

33. Contact information Audrey Love Siegfried Admissions and Outreach Manager Capital Partners for Education audrey@cpfe.org 202-682-6020 ext. 228 Regina E. Leslie Director of Education Programs Capital Partners for Education regina@cpfe.org 202-682-6020 ext. 224