NCJ Number
192148
Date Published
June 2001
Length
70 pages
Annotation
This manual for Texas' "Bridge the Gap Mentoring Program" suggests research-based best practices under the following topics: role descriptions, recruitment, eligibility screening, orientation, training, matching, monitoring the match, support and recognition, closure, evaluation process, and budgetary considerations.
Abstract
The mission of the Bridge the Gap Mentoring Program is to provide juveniles who are under formal probation supervision the opportunity to bond with adult mentors in one-on-one mentoring relationships, which foster the holistic development of juveniles through consistent contact support and guidance. Under the program, mentor and mentee meet in person for at least 8 hours per month for a specified period of time. Additional phone contact is encouraged. The role descriptions in the manual encompass the mentor coordinator, the assistant to the mentor coordinator, the mentor, and the parent/guardian. The section on recruitment addresses the rationale for recruitment strategies and the components of the recruitment process. The section on eligibility screening applies to criteria and procedures for screening mentors and mentees. The section on orientation outlines information about the mentoring program to be provided to all relevant parties: mentors, mentees, and parents/guardians. The rationale, topics, and procedures for training mentors are discussed in another section of the manual. The section on matching mentors to mentees considers the following topics: rationale, matching criteria, the match agreement, match meeting, and the match relationship. Other sections of the manual address the rationale and procedures of monitoring the match, providing support and recognition for participants, closure for the mentoring relationship, the program evaluation process, and budgetary considerations. 46 references and appended supplementary information