This guide offers program developers and implementers key considerations when integrating technology-influenced mentoring into an existing program serving African-American young men. The guidelines were influenced by Urban Youth's lessons learned from its What It Takes E-Mentoring Initiative.
- Since there is no universal definition of e-mentoring, defining program goals that reflect mentee and mentor needs and expectations is especially important.
- Create an Internet safety policy that is clear, documented, and accessible and that includes frequency of communication, types of content that can be shared, and a detailed code of conduct.
- Choosing the right technology platform is critical, requiring consideration of alignment to program vision and goals, platforms that participants already use regularly, user-friendliness, cost, and accessibility of data reports to monitor engagement.
- Mentees are better engaged when there is coordination between online mentoring and offline activities.
Publishers
- Urban Youth