2. Quality Program Standards
1: Definition of Youth Mentoring
2: Recruitment Plan
3: Eligibility Screening
4: Orientation and Training
5: Matching Strategy
6: Match Monitoring Process
7: Mentor Support, Recognition, and Retention
8: Match Closure
9: Program Evaluation
10: Organizational Management
11: Governance
3. Mentor Michigan’s
Quality Program Standards
• Developed by the Providers Council
• Not meant to certify or accredit
mentoring programs
• Planning and assessment framework
Quality Program Standards and Checklist
are available for download on the Mentor
Michigan website
– www.mentormichigan.org
4. Definition & Recruitment Plan
• Standard 1: Definition of Youth
Mentoring
• Standard 2: Recruitment Plan
– Finding and recruiting mentor and
volunteers for your program
5. Standard 1: Definition of Youth Mentoring
• Ongoing, structured relationship with a
trusted individual aimed at developing
the competence and potential of the
mentee
– Consistent contact
– Meeting frequency
– Match duration
– Group mentoring
6. Community-based mentoring programs:
A minimum of one calendar year
Meetings must occur several times each month
for a minimum of four (4) hours per month
School-based mentoring programs:
A minimum of one academic year
Weekly contact between mentors and mentees
Group Mentoring:
Ratio of mentees to mentors no more than 4:1
(four mentees to one mentor)
Consistency
Standard 1: Definition of Youth Mentoring
7. “The program defines mentoring as an
ongoing, structured relationship with a
trusted individual aimed at developing the
competence and potential of the mentee”
• MOST important standard
Standard 1: Definition of Youth Mentoring
8. Match Duration and Intensity
• Best youth outcomes when matches
meet for at least one year and for an
hour a week, on average
– Calendar or academic year, depending
on the program
• Youth with the longest matches
receive the most benefits from
mentoring
10. Standard 2: Recruitment Plan
Comprehensive recruitment plan
for mentors and mentees
– Thoughtful
– Well Executed
11. Standard 2: Recruitment Plan
System for timely mentor and mentee
follow-up and enrollment
– Portray expectations, eligibility, and
benefits
– Marketing and public relations
– Targeted outreach
– Clearly stated program goals and
objectives
– Position description
– Other volunteer opportunities
12. Recruiting Volunteers
• Ongoing process
– Comprehensive Recruitment Plan
– Evaluation
• 50% of those who volunteer do so
because they were asked
– Make the “ask”
13. Using Current Volunteers
• Current volunteers, particularly
mentors, are the best recruiters of new
volunteers
– Credibility
– Involve existing volunteers in both the
message’s design and delivery
• 96% of existing mentors would
recommend it to others
14. Tips For Recruiting Your Mentors
• Target and Inform Your Audience
• Build Community Commitment
• Mobilize Community Action
16. Why Do People Volunteer?
• To help their community
• Gain experience – resume building
• To feel good about themselves
– Recognition
• Sense of belonging
• Give back what they were given
• Use or build their talents and skills
• Belief in the mission of the program
17. Volunteer Position Description
• Program Description
• Position Description
• Commitment Time
• Areas of Involvement
• Qualifications
• Responsibilities
18. POLL
Where do you look for mentors and
other volunteers for your program?
Where have you had the
most success?
19. Finding Volunteers
• College campuses
• Volunteer centers
• Volunteer recruitment websites
– Mentor Michigan Directory, and many others!
• Neighborhood associations
• Faith-based communities and organizations
• Senior citizens and retirees
• Social, civic, fraternal, and service
organizations
• Etc.
21. Recruitment Package
• Program overview or fact sheet
• Mentor roles and responsibilities
• Application form
• Mentor matching form
• Mentor agreement
• Confidentiality statement
• Mentor activities policy sheet
• Eligibility criteria
• Benefits of mentoring list
• Any other relevant information about your
program
22. Recruiting Male Mentors
• Do you find recruiting male mentors
for your youth mentoring program is
especially challenging?
– Traditional recruitment techniques do not
seem to motivate the male audience to
become mentors
– Personal “ask”
23. Recruiting Male Mentors
• Men in Mentoring Toolkit
– Talking points
– Components of a complete recruitment
message
– Free download available on our website –
www.mentormichigan.org
24. Now What?
• Quality Program Standards and Program Self-
Assessment Checklist
• Elements of Effective Practice Toolkit
– www.mentoring.org/eeptoolkit
– Sample recruitment plan, mentor position description, etc
• Bring this information back to YOUR mentoring
program
– How successful have your recruitment efforts been?
– Do you have a comprehensive recruitment plan?
– Could you be reaching a broader audience?
• Mentor Michigan Website
– www.mentormichigan.org
– Handouts, resources, related websites
– Webinars on a variety of topics
– Men in Mentoring Toolkit
