Building Blocks of Quality Mentoring Programs

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	Dear Ms. Mentor

Program Components

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Dear Ms. Mentor

Ms. Mentor is back, and it is time for the next phase of your "apprenticeship" with her. Just choose the response that you think is the best advice for each mentoring program problem. Ms. Mentor, our resident "expert", will let you know what she thinks about your suggestion.

Dear Ms. Mentor,

We are caseworkers in a community based mentoring program, who are having a hard time keeping up with the workload. We are constantly bringing this up with our supervisor, but nothing is ever done about it. Help us solve our problem once and for all. Please tell us how many matches each full-time caseworker should have to supervise on his or her caseload.

Overworked and Underpaid

(A) A maximum of 60

(B) A maximum of 50

(D) It depends

Dear Ms. Mentor,

I am the Executive Director of an innovative mentoring organization. In recent years we have started several new "spin-off" programs, most of which have been quite successful. The latest project proposal is a counseling service for the families of the children and youth in our programs. I can't help but think we might be straying off course and spreading ourselves a little too thin with this project. What is the best guidepost for my board as they decide whether to approve this latest proposal?

Lost Without a Compass

(A) The availability of funding for the project

(B) The organization's mission

Dear Ms. Mentor,

I am sitting on a committee that is hoping to initiate an Aboriginal mentoring program in our community. The committee has had a few meetings, and we are all very enthusiastic about making this project happen. The problem is that everyone wants to start off in different directions, which causes us to feel overwhelmed and frustrated. Please direct us as to which of the following is the best starting place.

Confused Committee Member

(A) Get funding for the program

(B) Recruit mentors for the program

(D) Set up your screening, matching and supervision processes

You have now assembled the solid infrastructure needed for a quality mentoring program. Quality mentoring also depends on the presence of several crucial elements that together form the body of your program. To build these elements into your program, check out Program Components.

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