http://www.mentoring.org/access_research/research_in_action/research_in_action_series/

* Research in Action series:

Each issue in the series is designed to make the scholarly research accessible to and relevant for practitioners and is composed of three sections:

1. Research: a peer-reviewed article, written by a leading researcher, summarizing the latest research available on the topic and its implications for the fi eld;

2. Action: a tool, activity, template, or resource, created by MENTOR, with concrete suggestions on how practitioners can incorporate the research fi ndings into mentoring programs; and

3. Resources: a list of additional resources on the topic for further research.

* http://www.mentoring.org/start_a_program/evaluation/program_eval_all/ -

The article, Gauging the Effectiveness of Youth Mentoring, by Dr. Jean Rhodes was written for MENTOR's Research Corner and is provided below in its entirety.

Gauging the Effectiveness of Youth Mentoring

Although program evaluation is not as natural or spontaneous as this sort of self-evaluation, most programs engage in some form of monitoring. Sometimes it's as simple as asking mentees and mentors about their experiences; in other cases it involves large-scale, rigorous experimental designs.

Of course, programs are more apt to launch the former, less complicated types of evaluation. And for good reason! Such evaluations do not require the same level of expertise, are far less expensive, place minimal burden on participants and staff and can yield useful findings. For example, simple exit interviews can provide staff with important and immediate feedback about programs.

So, you might ask, why not stop there? A primary reason is that funders need more convincing evidence that programs are actually reaching their objectives. Thus, accountability has increasingly involved moving beyond simple descriptions to demonstrating that specific goals have been met. Knowing your options will help you to make informed decisions about the scope and rigor of your design.

2010-03-03