Knowledge Hub Research

Interactive Data Dashboard: Access to Mentors

The State of Mentoring Interactive Data Dashboard allows you to explore detailed data pertaining to:

1. Who has access to mentors?
2. Who has access to formal mentors?
3. Who reports unmet needs with regard to access to mentors?

You can refine your exploration of the data by looking at demographic characteristics and location.

Data Dashboard: Adults who Mentor

This dashboard allows you to explore detailed data pertaining to:

1. What proportion of adults are currently mentoring a young person?
2. What proportion of adults are not currently mentoring a young person but have done so in the past?
3. What proportion of adults who are not currently mentoring would be likely to do so in the next 5 years?

You can refine your exploration of the data by looking at 3 demographic characteristics: location, gender, and age.

Data Dashboard: Barriers to Accessing Mentors

This dashboard allows you to explore detailed data pertaining to:

1. What proportion of young adults faced barriers accessing mentors during their adolescence?
2. What were the most common barriers adolescents faced accessing mentors?

You can refine your exploration of the data by looking at location.

Mapping the Mentoring Gap

This study seeks to understand young adults’ access to and experiences of mentoring during their childhood and adolescence (up to 18 years of age). Between January and March 2020, 2,838 young adults aged 18 to 30 participated in the National Youth Mentoring Survey.

Capturing the Mentoring Landscape

This study seeks to increase our understanding of the prevalence, scope, structure, strengths and challenges of youth mentoring programs and services across Canada.

Raising the Mentoring Profile

This study explores adults’ views about youth mentoring as well as their interest and capacity to become mentors to young people outside of their immediate family. The goal is to better understand the barriers and facilitators to mentoring and ultimately increase the number of adults who mentor.

Youth Labour Shortages in Canada

In partnership with the Canadian Council for Youth Prosperity (CCYP), NPower and Ontario Tourism Education Corporation, we are pleased to introduce a compilation of essays on lessons learned about youth labour market disengagement.

Mentoring for Persons Experiencing Disabilities: A Review of the Literature

Mentor Canada and CASE’s MentorAbility initiative undertook an environmental scan and literature review to better understand the benefits of mentoring for persons experiencing disability who participate in mentoring activities and programs.

The review found that persons experiencing disabilities are under-represented in post-secondary education and employment and face barriers to social inclusion. Emerging evidence suggests that mentoring can be an effective intervention for persons experiencing disabilities, with the potential to support educational attainment, career outcomes, social skills, self-esteem, and self-determination.

The State of Mentoring in Canada: Areas for Action

Based on the findings of the State of Mentoring Research and the suggestions provided by sector stakeholders at the State of Mentoring Forum, Mentor Canada articulated 4 interconnected action areas and associated recommended actions to support the increased reach and improvement of the youth mentoring field.

Canadians Support Investment in Youth Mentoring

Infographic summary of the Raising the Profile of Mentoring study's key findings about adults' experiences as mentors.

Children & Youth who were Mentored Report Better Outcomes

Infographic summary of the Mapping the Mentoring Gap study's key findings about young people's experiences with mentors growing up.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Youth Mentoring

Key findings from the COVID-19 Impact on Mentoring Programs survey.

Mentoring & Employment

Youth are struggling to connect with employment opportunities, particularly young people from equity-seeking groups. Mentorship could be the key to increase career opportunities for youth. Discover how.

Mentoring & Youth Mental Health in partnership with Future of Good

Youth mental illness is a looming crisis - and has been since long before the pandemic. Mentorship could be the key to increasing young people's sense of belonging, hope and optimism for the future, and mental well-being.

Mapping the Mentoring Gap

This study seeks to understand young adults’ access to and experiences of mentoring during their childhood and adolescence (up to 18 years of age). Between January and March 2020, 2,838 young adults aged 18 to 30 participated in the National Youth Mentoring Survey.

Capturing the Mentoring Landscape

This study seeks to increase our understanding of the prevalence, scope, structure, strengths and challenges of youth mentoring programs and services across Canada.

Raising the Mentoring Profile

This study explores adults’ views about youth mentoring as well as their interest and capacity to become mentors to young people outside of their immediate family. The goal is to better understand the barriers and facilitators to mentoring and ultimately increase the number of adults who mentor.

Bilateral Framework Table: Contextualizing Mentoring Relationships within Formal Mentoring Programs

This handy table builds upon the Bilateral Framework developed by Cavell, Spencer, and McQuillin (2021) to help programs identify if the program primarily is one where the mentoring relationship is an end or one where the relationship serves as a means to an end.

Back to the Future: Mentoring as Means and End in Promoting Child Mental Health

This summary provides an overview of the innovative bilateral framework proposed by Cavell, Spencer, and McQuillin which distinguishes between programs in which the mentoring relationship is an end unto itself and programs where the relationship serves as a context or a vehicle to achieve specific outcomes.

It Takes a Village to Break Up a Match

Summary of study that looked at the influence that relationships between mentors, caregivers, and program staff have on the success or failure of mentoring relationships.

Predictors of Mentoring Relationship Quality

Summary of a study that looked at the ingredients of high-quality relationships from the perspectives of youth and parents participating in a Big Brothers Big Sisters 1-to-1 program.

Examining the Potential Risk of the Dominant Culture Mentoring Marginalized Youth

Summary of a study that critically explored the issue of matching mentors and mentees across cultural, racial, or socioeconomic lines, the risks it entails and the steps programs can take to alleviate the risks.

A Conceptual Model of Attunement for Youth Development Settings

Summary of a study that explores the usefulness of a new approach to training that can help staff members and mentors work together to build stronger relationships with mentees.

Staff Support Contact and Mentor Volunteer Experiences

Summary of a study that explores how program monitoring and support practices can influence mentor volunteering experiences and perceive quality of support.

Mentoring Relationships and the Mental Health of Aboriginal Youth in Canada

Summary of study that compared the experiences and outcomes of Indigenous and non-Indigenous youth participating in a Big Brothers Big Sisters program in Canada.

Youth-Initiated Mentoring: Meta-Analysis

Summary of a meta-analysis that explored existing research on youth-initiated mentoring and youth outcomes.

Youth Mentoring: Research on Program Practices

To support mentoring programs’ adoption of evidence-based practices, Mentor Canada conducted a literature review of the research relevant to the six processes involved in delivering such a program: recruitment and screening mentors, training, matching mentors and mentees, monitoring and supporting matches, and closing the mentoring relationship.

Unpacking the Mentoring Gap

Mentor Canada and MENTOR (USA) teamed up for a crucial discussion on the "Mentoring Gap." Experts Véronique Church-Duplessis (Mentor Canada) and Mike Garringer (MENTOR) delved into the complexities of this gap, including limited access to suitable mentors and the ever-evolving needs of young people. They explored research-backed strategies to bridge this gap and empower youth through mentorship.

State of Mentoring Research

Growing the Canadian evidence base for quality mentoring is front of mind for us and this third webinar from our Canadian Mentoring Symposium 2020 was on the topic of research. Mentor Canada's Director of Research, Veronique Church-Duplessis, highlighted some of our preliminary findings about young Canadians' access to mentors and experiences of mentoring. We also shared details about our ongoing research projects focused on youth, mentoring service providers, and mentors.

Sharing Findings: Experiences & Perspectives of Mentors and Mentees in Canada

Hear from our Director of Research and SRDC as they share results from the interviews we conducted with mentors and with young people as part of research on State of Mentoring in Canada. Learn about the key themes that emerged from our qualitative research.

Understanding and Leveraging Webs of Support during Youth Transitions across Educational and Career Pathways with Dr. Shannon M. Varga

This first webinar from the series Research into Practice (Fall 2020) was co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research and featured Shannon M. Varga as a guest speaker. It introduced a webs of support framework for understanding the dynamic ecology of relationships in a young person’s life.

Everyday Mentoring with Sophia Duck

This second webinar from the series, Research into Practice (Fall 2020), was co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research and featured Sophia Duck from the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania as guest speaker. The discussion focused on the importance of everyday mentoring and informal mentoring. The presentation introduced the tenets of everyday mentoring and resources to help every adult develop their skills to be a mentor.

Newer Approaches to Mentoring Older Adolescents with Dr. Sarah E.O. Schwartz

This third webinar from the series, Research into Practice (Fall 2020), was co-hosted by the Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research and featured guest speakers Dr. Sarah E.O. Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Suffolk University, as well as Ben Dantzer, a Ph.D. student at the University of British Columbia with his dissertation focusing on the benefits of youth-initiated mentoring. The discussion focused on ways in which youth-initiated mentoring relationships and networks of support foster healthy outcomes during the transition to adulthood.

Mentoring for Youth with Mental Health Needs: Possibilities for Improving the Parent-Mentor Alliance in the Mentoring Process

Mentor Canada launched its second Research into Practice Webinar Series in Winter 2022 which showcased the latest research related to youth mentoring as well as innovative programs practices.

This first webinar of its series bridged what we have learned from the children's mental health field to the mentoring field in relation to parent involvement in services for youth with mental health challenges.

Guest speaker Martha McCormack, Ph.D. Candidate from Portland State University, joined the conversation by sharing her research agenda focused on the perceptions and experiences of parents about mentoring for youth with mental health challenges.

Download: Slide deck presentation

Co-constructing knowledge with youth: how high-school aged mentors support their mentees' autonomy, belonging, and competence

Mentor Canada launched its second Research into Practice Webinar Series (Winter 2022) which showcased the latest research related to youth mentoring as well as innovative programs practices.

This second webinar of its series explored how Relationships Motivation Theory (RMT) can be applied to a cross-age peer mentoring context. RMT, a mini-theory of Self-Determination Theory (SDT), focuses on the essential ingredients of high-quality relationships: feelings of autonomy, belonging, and competence.

Ben Dantzer, Ph.D. candidate in Human Development, Learning, and Culture (HDLC) at the University of British Columbia, joined us for this discussion.

Download: Slide deck presentation

Unlocking Potential: Research meets Practice in Sports Mentoring

The Canadian Centre for Mentoring Research recently hosted a captivating event focused on the intersection of mentorship and sports. Experts in sports mentoring, from both research backgrounds and hands-on experience, shared their insights on the vital role mentors play in shaping young athletes. The event highlighted the latest research and real-world applications, fostering collaboration and conversations about the power of mentorship in youth sports.

Le mentorat inclusif : pratiques, retombées et défis actuels

Le mentorat peut être un levier d’inclusion puissant. Au cours des dernières années, les initiatives employant le mentorat pour soutenir l’inclusion socioéconomique des jeunes et adultes confrontés à des obstacles systémiques se sont multipliées.

Mentor Canada s'est associée à Accélérateur Mentoral de Mentorat Québec, Collectif Mentorat et Tirelires d'Avenir pour organiser un événement le 5 décembre pour souligner l'importance et le potentiel du mentorat comme approche pour faciliter l'inclusion socioéconomique de divers groupes.

Mentoring Helps Youth Gain Employment

Our State of Mentoring research findings demonstrated that mentors support youth's employment journeys by orienting their professional aspirations, preparing them for the job market, and helping them find employment. 

Mentoring Supports Youth's Mental Health and Well-Being

Our State of Mentoring research findings demonstrated that mentoring can have positive effects on youth's mental health and well-being by supporting areas such as self-esteem, self-confidence, and feelings of belonging.

Mentoring Supports Youth's Educational Attainment

Our State of Mentoring research findings demonstrated that mentors support youth's educational achievements by providing guidance, helping build academic skills, and encouraging high school completion. 

Mentoring Builds Connections

Our State of Mentoring research findings demonstrate that mentoring can alleviate loneliness and social isolation by promoting connections and belonging, and by enhancing social capital.

The Mentoring Effect for Black Youth

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for Black Youth. Learn more on what prevents Black children and youth from accessing mentors and how we can close the mentoring gap.

The Mentoring Effect for 2SLGBTQ Youth

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for 2SLGBTQ Youth. Learn more on what prevents 2SLGBTQ youth from accessing mentors and how we can close the mentoring gap. This issue brief was done in partnership with Pride at Work Canada.

The Mentoring Effect for Youth Experiencing Disabilities

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for youth experiencing disabilities. Learn more on what prevents children and youth experiencing disabilities from accessing mentors and how we can close the mentoring gap. This Issue Brief was conducted in partnership with the Canadian Association for Supported Employment (CASE) and MentorAbility Canada.

The Mentoring Effect for Indigenous Youth

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for Indigenous Youth. Learn more on the effect of mentorship on positive youth development in Indigenous cultures, how mentors can support Indigenous teens and how we can close the mentoring gap for Indigenous young people. This Issue Brief was conducted in partnership with Ever Active Schools (EAS).

The Mentoring Effect for Francophone Youth

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for francophone youth. Learn more on what prevents francophone youth from accessing mentors and how we can close the mentoring gap. This Issue Brief was conducted in partnership with Mentorat Québec and Grands Frères Grandes Soeurs du Québec.

The Mentoring Effect for Youth in Rural and Remote Communities

Discover what our 2020 State of Mentoring Research findings revealed on the impact of mentoring for youth in rural and remote communities. Learn more on what prevents rural youth from accessing mentors and how we can close the mentoring gap. This Issue Brief was conducted in partnership with Rural eMentoring BC.

Quality Mentoring Digest, Issue 1, July 2023

This insight arose during our Professional Reading Group, where we read and discussed “Decolonizing and Indigenizing Mentorship” by Indspire. The literature review synthesized information on how mentoring practitioners can strengthen the quality of their programs by Decolonizing and Indigenizing their mentoring protocols, policies, and practices.

Quality Mentoring Digest, Issue 2, January 2024

This insight arose during our second Professional Reading Group, where we read and discussed an academic article titled: “Pathways by which case managers’ match support influences youth mentoring outcomes: Testing the systemic model of youth mentoring,” which was written by Dr. Michael Karcher and colleagues. A key result of this study was the importance of adopting a developmental approach to relationships with others (i.e., emphasizing relationship development before pursuing goals).

Quality Mentoring Digest, Issue 3, April 2024

Several insights were discussed and shared during our third Themed Showcase and Networking Event, which focused on “Career Readiness and Employment for Racialized Youth.” During this event, we were joined by three mentoring organizations that are currently supporting racialized youth in Canada  through mentorship. During their presentations, each organization shared how they structure their programs to deliver high-quality mentoring opportunities for racialized youth.