National STEM Day was last week, and we took the opportunity to celebrate all the great STEM mentoring programs across the country. Whether a child is in kindergarten, fifth grade, or about to graduate high school, there’s a program designed to build their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math. But that raises an important […]
Posts By: Janis Kupersmidt
Bridging the Mentoring Gap in Sports-Based Youth Development
I recently had an opportunity to present to and participate in the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s ninth annual Urban Soccer Symposium in Washington, D.C. The symposium is a three-day forum for national soccer coaches and program administrators to share best-practices for improving the field of sports-based youth development. I was honored to be part of a […]
The Significance of Ethics and Safety Training in Youth Mentoring Programs
Successful youth mentoring relationships can provide fertile ground for teaching and learning, sharing and growing, renewing or establishing positive social benefits to the community and to the future. These pairings, however, also may bear the dynamic of power relationships, including the need to navigate confidentiality and its limits, and the responsibility to build an edifice […]
Mentor Training Helps Make School-Based Mentoring Work
Mentoring is a powerful tool that can positively affect the lives of at-risk children. The goal is to provide vulnerable youth with supportive relationships, thus allowing them to connect to channels for personal growth and educational support. School-based mentoring programs are a win-win solution, reaching volunteers and youth who do not participate in community-based programs. […]
Readiness Matters: The Importance and Impact of Mentor Training
Why invest in mentor training? Adequate training is important before beginning anything new, and especially for mentoring.  Mentoring is a unique relationship that involves a lot of important responsibilities. An investment in pre-match and ongoing training could greatly contribute to the success of your program.  And, turns out, while they have the best intentions, most […]
Reflections on the 2014 National Mentoring Summit
More than 700 people involved in mentoring programs, research, and support organizations recently connected for an enlightening two days of networking and workshops. Â The 2014 National Mentoring Summit provided a unique opportunity for mentoring programs and staff to learn powerful ways to integrate best practices and the latest research into the mentoring field. Mentoring Works. […]