"We're in this Together:" A Study on Mutuality in Youth Mentoring Relationships

Abstract

As the field of youth mentoring grows, the need to analyze youth mentoring relationships and their efficacy is crucial. My research attempts to discover a greater understanding on not only the influence of youth mentoring on the mentees’ lives but also on the mentors’ lives. Through interviews and surveys conducted at the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, I gathered significant data from both the mentor and mentee. Results were consistent with literature on youth mentoring relationships, which explains that non-relative adult relationships do play an important role a young persons’ development. The results found significant evidence that mentors also gain positive development from mentoring relationships. This evidence can be tied to feminist literature on mutuality.