Mentoring School Age Children: Relationship Development in Community Based and School Based Programs.

This report explores volunteers' experiences and relationship development within the two largest contingents of one-on-one mentoring programs: community-based programs and school-based programs. Three questions are addressed: 1) What is school-based mentoring? 2) Are enough mentors in both types of programs developing the close, supportive relationships with youth that signify the potential of these programs to make a difference in the youth's lives? 3) What specific benchmarks can programs use to ensure optimal development of supportive relationships, and do these critical levels differ for community-based and school-based programs?