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Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring This series was developed by MENTOR and translates the latest mentoring research into tangible strategies for mentoring practitioners. Research In Action (RIA) makes the best available research accessible and relevant to the mentoring field.
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Research in Action Series
Cross Age Peer Mentoring
Overview of Research in Action Series
• MENTOR has developed an innovative series - Research in Action
• Translates the latest research on mentoring into tangible strategies for mentoring practitioners.
• Makes the best available research accessible and relevant to the mentoring field.
• Using the Research in Action series, programs can ensure their practices are based on current research, resulting in improved services and better impacts for young people.
• 10 issues
• Each issue provides: – Research– Action – Resources
Overview of Research in Action Series
Research in Action Issues:1. Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive
Youth Development2. Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices3. Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs:
Qualifications, Training, and Retention4. Fostering Close and Effective Relationships in Youth
Mentoring Programs5. Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End6. School-Based Mentoring7. Cross-Age Peer Mentoring8. Mentoring Across Generations: Engaging 50+ Adults
as Mentors9. Youth Mentoring: Do Race and Ethnicity Really
Matter?10. Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of
Prisoners
Mentor Michigan Webinar Series
• www.mentormichigan.org
• Click on “Training & Technical Assistance”
Issue 7: Cross Age Peer Mentoring
• Michael Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio
• Issue available for free download at MENTOR’s website– www.mentoring.org– “Access Research” Tab Research in
Action
Issue 7 - Overview
• Introduction
• Defining Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
• Outcomes
• Characteristics of Effective CAMPs
• Discussion
Introduction
What is the model of your cross-age peer mentoring program?
– How old are mentors/mentees?– Where do they meet?– How often and for how long are they
matched?– One-to-one or group?
Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
• The mentor is usually an older youth, typically high school-aged
• Paired with middle school or elementary-aged child
• Almost always take place at schools• Meet weekly, for duration of school
year• Primarily one-to-one relationships, but
often meetings occur in larger group, with some group-based activities
CAMPs are here to stay
• BBBS High School Bigs comprise nearly ¼ of all matches annually
• CAMPs have elements that are appealing to mentees, mentors, school staff and parents
• Practice has outpaced research leading to under-structured CAMPs
Defining Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
Distinctions
• Structure - tutoring or mentoring?
• Duration
• Focus/Approach
• Cross-age
Table 1: Drawing Distinctions Among Several Peer-to-Peer Interventions
Structured
(e.g. using a curriculum)
Long-term
(lasting more than ten weeks)
Problem-focused or remedial
Cross-age
(difference in grade of two or
more)
One-to-one relationship
format
Peer Mentoring
Sometimes Yes No Yes Yes
Peer Counseling No No Yes
(personal)
Not usually Usually,
but not necessarily
Peer helping; PALs
(Peer Assistance and Leadership)
Yes Not usually Sometimes Yes, usually Both one-to-one and one helper with
multiple youth formats
Peer Mediation Yes No Yes Not usually No, one mediator with two plus peers
Peer Tutoring No No Yes (academic)
Sometimes Usually, but not
necessarily
Benefits for Mentees and Mentors
MENTEES• Attitudes toward
connectedness to school and peers
• Self-efficacy• Grades or academic
achievement• Social skills• Behavior problems• Gains in conventional
attitudes toward illicit and antisocial behavior
MENTORS• Moral reasoning and
empathy• Connection to school• Relate better to parents• Self-esteem• Conflict resolution skills• Organizational skills• Ability to communicate
with children• Responsibility
Who is more effective? Adult mentors or youth mentors?
• The size of the effects on connectedness to school for the three cross-age peer mentoring programs were “large” while the effects for the three adult-with-youth school-based mentoring programs were “small”
• However, across the majority of other outcomes, cross-age mentors did not appear to be more effective than adult mentors
Risks of Cross-Age Mentoring
• Left unstructured, CAMPs run higher risk of causing harm
• Matches should be monitored closely for:– Mentors modeling deviant behavior– Unplanned and unexplained absences– Frustration among overwhelmed mentors
• Matches in which mentors are inconsistent should be quickly “terminated” using a formal process to minimize the negative effects on mentee
Developmental Approach
• Descriptive evaluations of BBBS H.S. Bigs Program found that most matches engage in physical activities, general talking, and crafts or board games.
• In fact, while playing one-on-one games was related to better outcomes, the more the match worked on academics (e.g., tutoring), the less likely they were to be rematched for a second year.
Characteristics of Effective Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Programs
• Mentee orientation – how to best utilize their mentors by seeking out the mentors’ support
• Recruit socially interested youth
• Support to overwhelmed mentors
• Older mentors
Recommendations
• Mentors trained in a developmental approach• Strategically recruit mentors with greater social
interest and less self-interested motivations• Mentors and mentees differ in age by at least two
years, mentors in high school• Programs provide structure but focus clearly on
strengthening relationships• Matches monitored for signs of “deviancy training”• Mentees are taught how best to utilize their mentors
for support• Mentors are required to participate in formal
termination processes
Conclusion
Although there is promise, there remains a great deal to
be learned about the most efficient and effective ways to utilize older peers in mentoring
relationships.
Other Key Considerations:
1. Age Gap
2. Parent Involvement
3. Collaboration and/or Partnerships
4. Cross-age peer mentoring is not “mentoring-lite”
5. Potential to do harm
ACTION
• Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program
• Part II: Implications of Cross-Age Peer Mentoring on Program Practices
Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program
Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program
MENTOR
The leader in expanding the power of mentoring to millions of young Americans who want and need adult mentors.– Mentor/Mentee Termination Ritual– How to Build a Successful Mentoring
Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice
www.mentoring.org
National organization that provides training and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs– http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc– Resources Peer Mentoring Resources
• Building Effective Peer Mentoring Programs In Schools: An Introductory Guide
• Peer Mentoring: Recruiting, Training, and Ensuring Longevity (webinar)
• Peer Mentoring: New Research and Innovative Practice (webinar)
Education Northwest: National Mentoring Center
National Association of Peer Programs– Sponsors conferences and provides
consultation for peer mentoring programs– http://www.peerprograms.org/
Peer Resources – Canadian organization that supports peer
mentoring– http://www.peer.ca/peer.html
Other Resources:
This presentation provides an
overview of Research in Action
Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring
This tool was produced by MENTOR/The National Mentoring
Partnership and can be accessed on their website:
www.mentoring.org