ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a description of the author's experiences as a mentor for a youth over a 15-month period in a BB/BS program. Youth mentoring programs are a bona fide phenomenon in present day society. At latest estimate, more than 5,000 such programs are in operation in the United States. Youth identified as having enjoyed relatively stronger mentoring relationships were found to consistently fare better on outcome measures. Meta-analysis could be cited as a prime exemplar of these principles. It involves the use of objective methods to evaluate findings from multiple studies conducted by Cooper. Participatory research methods extend traditional qualitative approaches, such as ethnographic field observation, in several ways. The framework is comprised of two primary dimensions: internally-focused or 'inside' efforts and externally-focused or 'outside' efforts directed toward establishing effective linkages to other resources and services needed to promote positive outcomes for youth receiving mentoring.
