Evidence shows that quality mentoring practices are a determining factor in achieving positive youth outcomes. Through the National Quality Mentoring System (NQMS), MENTOR Rhode Island supports programs in implementing a continuous quality improvement process to improve program practices over time.
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Mentoring is about more than helping as many kids as possible – it is also about providing high-quality mentoring experiences, because poor mentoring relationships can do more harm than good. To guide these quality experiences, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership developed the Elements of Effective Practice for MentoringTM, which details research-informed and practitioner-approved standards for creating and sustaining quality youth mentoring programs and facilitating impactful mentoring relationships.
MENTOR and its network of affiliates developed the NQMS to raise the quality of mentoring programs through a structured, systematic process. MENTOR utilized the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring TM, Fourth Edition guidelines to create an online tool capable of assessing current program practices against best practices in the field of youth mentoring. The goal of the NQMS process is to better understand a program’s current strengths and weaknesses in order to improve their practices and ultimately produce stronger youth outcomes. MENTOR Rhode Island is an affiliate of MENTOR equipped to facilitate the NQMS process in accordance with these national standards.