"Mentor" vs. "Mentee"
Let's get some basic definitions out of the way.
A mentoring relationship contains two main elements: the mentor and the mentee.
A mentor is a volunteer with general life experience and competency, willing to take on the responsibilities associated with mentoring someone; this can include coaching, providing advice, helping with extracurricular activities, and other consistent support. A mentor is not a friend, parent, cousin, or sibling to the mentee; a mentor's role should be strictly defined through the mentoring program with which you are pursuing a relationship, or through EEPM's Guide.
A mentee is the youth being mentored - or, in the case of peer mentoring - the youth being guided and supported by the mentor.
Preparing for a New Mentoring Relationship
A short, one-pager full of tips for prospective youth mentees from youth mentees.
A guide designed by and for YouthBuild USA, as well as other mentoring organizations across the country and around the world.
A YouthBuild resource for finding and maintaining a successful mentoring relationship.
Peer Mentoring
What's peer mentoring? Peer Mentoring is a model of mentoring where an older adolescent or child is matched in an explicit mentoring relationship with one or more younger peers. Please contact us if you have questions about how to use these resources or if you need help with a peer mentorship: [email protected]
Peer Mentoring Guide
Explore the National Mentoring Resource Center's guide on Peer Mentoring, intended as a resource for mentees and families.
Peer Mentoring Handbook
Explore the National Mentoring Resource Center's guide on Peer Mentoring, intended as a resource for mentees and families. "This resource offers advice, strategies, and other information to older youth who will be serving as peer mentors to younger children in school and community settings."
"You don't have to have all the answers, you just have to be willing to share what you know." - Unknown
Looking for a Mentor?
Mentoring Map in-progress!
Are you looking for a mentor, or a way to get involved in a mentoring project near you? We want to help! Stay tuned for our Mentoring Map, an interactive map that will help you locate mentoring organizations near you.
Program Resources
Here, you'll find a collection of resources on best practices for youth mentoring programs including MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™, and six supplements on various speciality models and populations.
Mentor Resources
Youth Mentoring Collaborative is proud to share vetted resources for individuals looking to improve their mentoring skills. You can explore this library for a wide range of resources including training modules, guides, and toolkits.
Caregivers Resources
When parents, guardians, and other caregivers work in harmony with mentors and program staff, it’s more likely that mentored youth will experience positive outcomes from the mentoring relationship.