Why the need for Leaf Mentoring? Can’t schools, universities and organizations read some books and put together their own mentoring program? The answer is that they could, and there is a chance that it may work. The problem happens when mentoring programs fail. Research study after research study has found that not only do ineffective mentoring programs not have positive results, they worsen the issues that they were trying to solve.

When you set up unsafe mentoring program without the necessary initial and subsequent training, safety measures, ongoing support and monitoring, you are playing Russian Roulette with the members of your school or organization.

One study of a poorly run mentoring program found that youth with mentors had more liberal attitudes towards drug use than those who did not receive mentors². Insufficient training and program coordination also causes mentoring relationships to be ended early which causes increases in problem behaviors¹.

Even more dangerous, without the proper safety protocol in place, harmful elements can infiltrate your mentoring program. Aside from the primary concern of harm caused to the mentees, this can also open your institution to crippling legal action.

When you set up an unsafe mentoring program without the necessary initial and subsequent training, safety measures, ongoing support and monitoring, you are playing Russian Roulette with the members of your school or organization. Invest in your students and clients and their potential and let Leaf Mentoring help you create a safe, independent mentoring program with all the needed components to make it successful.

After an initial investment, you will have a permanent, self sustaining mentoring program, run independently by trained members of your staff without need for any further outside assistance. And most importantly, you will have done it safely, competently and effectively. You will have created a lasting mentoring program and you will have done it the right way.

¹ Grossman, J.B. & Rhodes, J.E. (2002) the test of time: Predictors and effects of duration in youth mentoring programs. American Journal of Community Psychology, 3, 199-219.

² Royse, D. (1998). Mentoring high risk minority youth: Evaluation of the brothers project. Adolescence, 33(129), p.145-158.