HOW TO BEGIN

+ STEP 1 - Research and Identify

Research and Identify Type of Mentoring Program Your Agency Seeks to Implement

School Based Mentoring Program
School-based mentoring programs involve weekly one-on-one meetings between a mentor and his/her mentee, at the mentee’s school. Mentors and mentees engage in a range of academic and/or nonacademic activities, depending on the program’s objectives. Other students see having a mentor come to the school as an “enviable perk” shedding positive light onto the mentee and bolstering his/her social standing.

National Examples:
Youth Friends
Big Brothers and Big Sisters

Community Based Mentoring Program
Community-based mentoring programs involve weekly one-on-one meetings that take place outside of any specific site; the mentor and their mentee decide when and where they will meet and in what activities they will engage. Community based matches usually meet for one to three hours per week and offers young people the chance to develop a relationship with an adult, other than their parents or teachers. Community based matches can include tutoring, career exploration, life skills development, entertainment, and cultural or social experiences.

National Examples:
Big Brothers Big Sisters

Site Based Mentoring Program
Site-based mentoring programs involve weekly one-on-one meetings that take place at a specific site. Mentors and mentees meet at the program site and agency or program staff create and supervise activities. Many of our existing NCMI/CMC mentoring programs are site based.

Faith Based Mentoring Program
Please see Mentoring Resources and click on one of the following faith based mentoring resources

National Examples:
Life Coaches for Kids
Christian Association for Youth Mentoring
Faith-based Mentoring and More

Family Centered Mentoring Program

Nazarene CMC Example:
Lower Lights Ministries

Attachment Communities Mentoring Program

Nazarene CMC Example:
Sunset Youth Services

E-Mentoring

National Examples:
YouthFriends e-Mentoring™
Be A Mentor: email mentors are employees of sponsoring firms and organizations. Sponsoring firms and organizations promote mentoring among their employees, allow a specified amount of time for the employee to communicate via email with the student and they will communicate 30 minutes to 1 hour/week.

Group Mentoring
Several of our partners also provide group mentoring in which 8 to 12 youth are matched with one mentor and they meet together as a group and one-to-one with mentor as necessary.

Partner Examples:
P.F. Bresee’s Covenant Groups
Sunset Youth Services
Xzone

+ STEP 2 - Review the Links

Review the links and documents in:

+ STEP 3 - Partner for Assistance

Partner with NCMI Mentoring Initiative for Assistance

The seven steps outlined in How to Begin provides the organization with the resources and tools to explore the organization's mentoring vision and to help lay the foundation to implement a best-practices mentoring program. In Step 1 and Step 2 you had an opportunity to review the various mentoring programs and mentoring resources that are available via the world wide web. In Steps 3 - 7, NCMI provides the process and system to assist organizations with their vision to implement a best practices mentoring program for at-risk children, youth and families. It is NCMI's vision to make these resources and tools available to our Compassionate Ministries Centers and to assist with technical support and training as funding allows. Follow the remaining steps to get started.

+ STEP 4 - Prepare and Complete a Desk Review

To effectively prepare the agency for the Mentoring Desk Review, NCMI recommends the following suggestions and considerations:

Assess and Review the agency’s Strategic Plan, Vision and Mission to determine appropriateness and alignment with implementation of a mentoring program

Facilitate an Asset Mapping Exercise to fully assess and review the potential of:

  • Need and Target Population for Mentees and Families
  • Mentor and Mentee Recruitment Strategies
  • Viable Funding Streams
  • Stakeholder Support Systems
  • In-Kind Services
  • Collaborations with other agencies and community programs
  • Wrap Around Services and Community Resources

Begin developing the following plans through the Asset Mapping Exercise

Begin creating a Mentoring Program Business/Ministry Plan (*Mentoring Project Work Plan), incorporating the Stakeholder Plan, Mentor Recruitment and Retention Plan and the Financial Sustainability Plan and have on file or as an attachment to the agency’s Strategic Plan (Guide to Strategic Planning)

*NOTE


+ STEP 5 - Policies and Procedures

Develop and Implement Mentoring Program Policies and Procedures

Guide/Example for Policies and Procedures and Standards

Nazarene Safe: Guidelines Booklet
Review the following sections from the Nazarene Safe Guidelines Booklet and incorporate into the organization's Mentoring Policies and Procedures and the Employee/Volunteer Handbook

  • Mentoring Standards 4 and 10: Understanding Sexual Misconduct and A Systematic Approach, pgs. 6-10
  • Mentoring Standards 4 and 10: I Awareness Training, pg 13
  • Mentoring Standards 3 and 10: II Staff and Volunteer Screening, pg. 14
  • Mentoring Standards 3, 4 and 10: III Policies, Procedures and Practices for Working w/Minors, pgs. 14-15
  • Mentoring Standards 6 and 9: IV Accountability: M&E, pgs 16-17
  • Mentoring Standards 6, 9 and 10: V Reporting and Responding, pgs. 17-19

Example Policies and Procedures of CMC Partners
Lower Lights Ministries
Xzone
Kansas City Urban Youth Center

+ STEP 6 - Forms and Documentations

Develop and Implement Mentoring Program Forms and Documentations

FORMS AND DOCUMENTS

Standard One
Overview of Mentor Standards and Documentation

Standard Two
Asset Mapping; Recruitment Plan Template; Mentor Orientation and Training Log; Mentor Application Checklist; Mentor Evaluation Checklist; Mentee Application and Orientation Checklist; Mentee Agreement; Match Agreement & Contract; Mentor Position Description; Mentee Position Description; M&E Plan (See STEP 7 - Monitoring and Evaluation Plan)

Standard Three
Mentee Application and Orientation Checklist; Mentee Agreement; Mentor Application Checklist; Mentor Interview Guide; Mentor Orientation & Training Log; Notice to Mentors Regarding Background Checks; Match Agreement and Contract; Reference Interview Guide; Mentor Evaluation Checklist; Mentor and Mentee Eligibilty Criteria Checklist; Mentor and Mentee Eligibilty Criteria Checklist; Nazarene Safe: Ministry Application

Standard Four
Mentee Application and Orientation Checklist; Mentee Orientation Outline; Mentor Application Checklist; Mentor Training Log; Mentor Orientation Outline; Mentor Evaluation Checklist; Annual Training Calendar; Training Outlines; Contact Log; Training Evaluation Template; Nazarene Safe: Ministry Application

Standard Five
Mentee Agreement; Match Agreement and Contract; Match Worksheet; Mentee Interest Survey; Mentee-Match Wait list

Standard Six
Contact Log; Match Activity Sign-in; Mentee or Student Medical Release-Work Form; Mentee Application; Mentee Application 2

Standard Seven
Annual Event Calendar; Annual Training Calendar; Mentor Orientation and Training Outlines; Mentee Orientation Outline

Standard Eight
Mentee Exit Survey; Mentor Exit Survey; Parent/Guardian Exit Survey; Match Closure Notification Letter; Mentee Orientation Outline; Training Outline; Personal Growth Plan; Personal Growth Plan - 2; Personal Growth Plan - 3; Match Closure Summary

Standard Nine
M&E Plan (See STEP 7 - Monitoring and Evaluation Plan)

Standard Ten
Nazarene Safe Guidelines Booklet; Mentor Staff Job Descriptions; Mentor Position Description; Timesheet Form; Mileage Reimbusement Form; MOU Template 1; MOU Template 2

Standard Eleven
Risk Management Process Template; Risk Management Resources

+ STEP 7 - Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

Develop and Implement a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

 

FAQ