Mentor Motivations

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Wed, 03/31/2010 - 07:46
Kristi Zappie-F...
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Joined: 03/12/2010

During MENTOR's Recruitment and Screening webinar, we discussed the importance of managing expectations of mentors during the recruitment and training process to ensure that they understand the role of mentoring and what they are embarking on (the joys AND challenges...). Research(1) has shown that unfulfilled expectations can contribute to earlier than expected ending of mentoring relationships. When preconceived notions of mentoring do not materialize, mentors may decide that the relationship is not what they agreed to and back out of the commitment.

(1)Spencer, R. (2007). "It's not what I expected": A qualitative study of youth mentoring relationship failures. Journal of Adolescent Research.

NMC has a terrific Mentoring Fact Sheet, Volunteer Motivation and Mentor Recruitment explores research into the common motivations of people who volunteer and how your mentoring program can turn those motivations into effective recruitment pitches.

What has been your experience with mentors motivations and expectations in mentoring? How did you manage their expectations to mentor?

__________________

Kristi Zappie-Ferradino | Vice President, Products & Online Services
MENTOR
1600 Duke Street, Suite 300 | Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703-224-2234 | Fax: 703-226-2581 | Web site: www.mentoring.org
E-mail: KZFerradino@mentoring.org
MENTOR is the lead champion for youth mentoring in the United States.

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Wed, 03/31/2010 - 18:34
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tutormentor
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Joined: 07/07/2009
Re: Mentor Motivations

Over the 35 years that I've led a volunteer-based tutor/mentor program this issue has been one of the most common reasons for volunteers to leave the program. Many volunteers expect to see change happen quickly, and they expect to have kids giving them big hugs and thanks for taking the time to mentor them. The reality is far different and this causes some volunteers to form negative perceptions, and even leave the program.

While advance screening and orientations are intended to help create more reasonable expectations, the best solution for this is constant mentoring and coaching of volunteers by staff, and other volunteers.

We try to keep volunteers from one year to the next, and have a mix of volunteers who have been with the program up to 10 years, with others who are in their first year. We also are a site-based program, where our volunteers and students meet at the same place, on a Wednesday or a Thursday evening. Thus, the volunteers can build bonds with other volunteers, and other students, which helps them build stronger links to the program.

__________________

Daniel F. Bassill
President
Tutor/Mentor Connection
Tutor/Mentor Institute, LLC
Merchandise Mart PO Box 3303, Chicago, Il 60654
Skype "dbassill"
Twitter @tutormentorteam

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