Prospective and Current Mentors

What to expect in a 4-H mentoring program

A mentor in a 4-H mentoring program can expect personal ongoing support, encouragement and guidance from 4-H staff as the mentoring relationship progresses. To make certain that both the mentee and the mentor are having a positive, life enriching experience, 4-H staff will conduct regular communication with the mentor, the mentee and the parent or guardian to discuss the match, problems and progress. Most 4-H programs typically expect a mentor to spend at least one hour each week with the mentee, with most of the programs usually lasting one year. Many 4-H programs provide group activities, program recognition events and complimentary tickets to community events in which mentors and mentees may optionally participate. At the completion of the program, 4-H staff will support and assist in the closure of the mentoring relationship. It is the goal of 4-H staff both to see that youth develop and reach positive academic, career and personal goals through a successful mentorship, and also that the 4-H mentor gains personal fulfillment and self-development through contribution to the community and individual.

To learn more about specific expectations and goals in the 4-H mentoring program in your area, go to http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/mentor/county.htm and look for a county near you. Then press the link for contact information.

Mentor selection and criteria

Each 4-H mentoring program has its own eligibility criteria and policies for selecting and screening volunteers. To learn more about the requirements and selection procedures in your county, go to http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/mentor/county.htm. Press the link for your county. Call and speak to the mentoring program coordinator.

Listed below are general volunteer criteria required of all MSU Extension 4-H mentoring programs.

Listed below are possible application requirements: (For the actual application requirements for your county's mentoring program, contact the mentoring program coordinator for your county on the list at http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/mentor/county.htm.)

• Application
• MSU Extension Volunteer Selection Process (Required)
• Driving record
• Copy of driver's license
• Interview
• References
• Confidentiality agreement
• Mentor contract

Characteristics of a good mentor

Good mentors:

• Are active listeners.
• Are patient and caring.
• Are flexible and open to new ideas.
• Have a good attitude.
• Are dependable and reliable.
• Set realistic and appropriate goals.
• Listen and accept guidance and feedback.

Michigan counties currently offering mentoring progams

New 4-H mentoring programs are being developed in counties across Michigan each year. To see an updated listing of Michigan counties currently offering 4-H mentoring programs, visit http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/mentor/county.htm.

Other mentoring programs in Michigan

Michigan 4-H Youth Development strives to continue to develop and offer caring and supportive mentoring opportunities for youth and volunteers in Michigan. Unfortunately, not every Michigan county currently operates a 4-H mentoring program. If you are a volunteer interested in becoming a mentor in a county not currently operating a mentoring program, there are many other mentoring opportunities with other organizations in Michigan. Visit Mentor Michigan at http://www.michigan.gov/mentormichigan to see a list of organizations offering mentoring opportunities in your area.

Mentoring Resources

Documents followed by are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format which requires the free Acrobat Reader software.

The following resources may prove helpful to individuals interested in mentoring:

• Ballasy, L., Fulop, M., & St. Amour, D. (2003). Generic mentoring program policy and procedure manual. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, National Mentoring Center. Available at http://www.nwrel.org/mentoring/pdf/policy_manual.pdf
• Dennis, G. (1993). Mentoring [Archived Information]. Washington, DC: U.S.
  Department of Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, Office of Research. Available at http://www.ed.gov/pubs/OR/ConsumerGuides/mentor.html
• Garringer, M. (with Fulop, M., & Rennick, V.). (2003). Foundations of successful youth mentoring: A guidebook for program development. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, National Mentoring Center. Available at http://www.nwrel.org/mentoring/pdf/foundations.pdf
• Kahle Research Solutions, Inc. (2006). The scope and nature of mentoring in Michigan. Lansing, MI: Mentor Michigan. Available at http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mentormichigan/MMW4_ScopeNat_179838_7.pdf
  Karcher, M. J. (2005). Cross-age peer mentoring. In D. DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 266–285). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Keller, T. E. (2005). The stages and development of mentoring relationships. In D.
  DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 82–99). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• McLearn, K. T., Colasanto, D. & Schoen, C. (1998). Mentoring makes a difference: Findings from the Commonwealth Fund 1998 survey of adults mentoring young people. Available at http://www.cmwf.org/usr_doc/McLearn_mentoring.pdf
• Mentor Michigan. (n.d.). Mentor Michigan web site. Available at
  http://www.michigan.gov/mentormichigan
• MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership. (2003). Elements of effective practice
  trainer’s manual: A guide to successful mentoring. Alexandria, VA.: Author.
• MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership. (2005). How to build a successful mentoring program using the Elements of Effective Practice™: A step-by-step tool kit for program managers. Alexandria, VA: Author. Available at http://www.mentoring.org/program_staff/eeptoolkit/index.php
• National Association of Peer Programs. (2002). NAPP programmatic standards.
  Gladstone, MO: Author. Available at http://www.peerprograms.org/publications/publications/standards
• Probst, K. (2006). Mentoring for meaningful results: Asset-building tips, tools, and
  activities for youth and adults. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.
• Rhodes, J. E. (2002). Stand by me: The risks and rewards of mentoring today’s youth. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Saito, R. N. (2001). What’s working? Tools for evaluating your mentoring program. Minneapolis, MN: Search Institute.
• Sipe, C. L. (1999). Mentoring adolescents: What have we learned? In J. B. Grossman (Ed.), Contemporary issues in mentoring (pp. 10–23). Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures. Available at http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/37_publication.pdf
• Stukas, A. A., & Tanti, C. (2005). Recruiting and sustaining volunteer mentors. In D. DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 266–285). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Tierney, J., & Grossman (with Resch, N.).  (2000). Making a difference: An impact study of Big Brothers Big Sisters. Philadelphia, PA: Public/Private Ventures. Available at http://www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/111_publication.pdf
• Weinberger, S. (2005). Developing a mentoring program. In D. DuBois & M. Karcher (Eds.), Handbook of youth mentoring (pp. 220–234). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
• Weinberger, S. G. (2000). My mentor and me: The elementary school years. Hartford, CT: The Governor’s Prevention Partnership for the Connecticut Mentoring Partnership.
• Weinberger, S. G. (2001). My mentor and me: The high school years. Hartford, CT: The Governor’s Prevention Partnership for the Connecticut Mentoring Partnership.
• Weinberger, S. G. (2003). My mentor and me: The middle school years. Hartford, CT: The Governor’s Prevention Partnership for the Connecticut Mentoring Partnership.

Contact

Lisa Bottomley, Mentoring Specialist
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
USA
Phone: 517-432-7622
Fax: 517-353-4846
E-mail: lbottoml@msu.edu

Julie Chapin, Ph.D., Program Leader
4-H Youth Development
Michigan State University
160 Agriculture Hall
East Lansing, MI 48824-1039
USA
Phone: 517-432-7608
Fax: 517-353-4846
Email: chapin@msu.edu

Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Michigan State University
Last Updated: December 8, 2008
Last Reviewed: July 30, 2007