The district should ensure that site coordinators are equipped to provide ongoing support for mentors on a regular basis, via email, phone calls, and in-person meetings, whether individually or in person. Coordinators should keep a pulse on the support needs of mentors, and connect mentors with training and resources that respond to common challenges. Check out the “Monitoring and Support” sections of Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring for more details.

When regularly scheduled meetings are hard to arrange, it can be challenging to provide this necessary ongoing support. Mentor NY, a MENTOR affiliate organization that supports the quality and quantity of mentoring relationships in New York State, utilized text messaging to connect with and support Success Mentors during the pilot of the program in New York City. The two organizations developed a resource with suggestions for when and how to provide support for Success Mentors through text messages.

MENTOR’s Using Text Messaging to Support Success Mentors

Coordinators should also consider if there are opportunities for success mentors to benefit from training already available in the community or school district that addresses common issues involved in working with children and families and whether the training, for example, develops cultural competency or takes a trauma informed approach to care.