Research Journey

Project Overview

The Mentoring Partnership (TMP) plays a unique role as a provider of free resources that enable mentoring programs to improve the quality of mentoring they provide to mentors and youth. Currently, TMP excels in providing customized resources through a 1:1 service model, but its online resources are underutilized due to low accessibility. In this project, we identified the challenges mentoring programs face in using TMP's online resources and explored opportunities to enhance the reach and impact of TMP's resource and service ecosystem.

TMP: A library of educational resources for mentoring programs

In the initial stage of our project, our team employed various resources and engaged with a diverse range of stakeholders, including TMP staff members, mentoring programs, mentors, and mentees. This approach allowed us to gain a comprehensive knowledge of the mentoring community and TMP’s role and value within it.

In-Depth Interviews with

TMP Affiliated Organizations

Organizations that are external to TMP

Surveyed

Internal and external programs to TMP

External mentors and mentees to TMP

In this initial phase, we found that providing credible and research-backed guidance is TMP’s essential service for mentoring programs. Such a service ensures both mentoring programs and mentors positively influence impressionable youth, preventing harm. To better help ourselves empathize with mentoring programs' needs, we transformed the insights we gathered from interviews into three archetypes shown below.

(3 main archetypes of clients we identified through research. Created using anecdotes in interviews.)

Currently, TMP’s resources are delivered through two major channels, which are human staff and online resources.

TMP Staff

Provides 1:1 service customization based on programs’ characteristics and needs

Online Resources

Provides a website that includes resources and trainings for the mentoring community to use

The Problem: Burden on TMP Staff & Underutilization of Resources

TMP’s current strength is providing tailored training and resources to mentoring programs through staff customization. However, this approach poses a problem as it adds a burden to the TMP team which is composed of only 8 members, who often receive many similar questions that could easily be answered using the resources available on TMP’s website.

At the same time, even though TMP serves as a comprehensive resource library, many programs are unaware of its wide range of resources. This is because of ad-hoc customization that only displays TMP’s services based on specific requests and ineffective navigation of its website, which holds resources.

Value: Enhanced Support and Efficiency for Mentoring Programs and TMP

Value to Mentoring Programs

Wider range of support

Enhanced visibility of TMP’s diverse service offerings exposes mentoring programs to more reliable resources, leading to a greater spread of expert-backed support for youth.

Immediate access to relevant resources

Mentoring programs can find answers immediately without needing to reach out to TMP staff and wait for a response.

Reduced frustration

With access to a wide variety of TMP’s credible and relevant resources, mentoring program staff can alleviate the burden of the high stakes of potentially harming youth.

Value to TMP

Expanded mission reach

Increased visibility of resources can attract more mentoring programs to reach out to TMP, potentially helping TMP to scale its support.

Improved work efficiency

Improved online navigation allows TMP staff to spend less time answering common questions and directing clients to resources. They can reallocate their time to more critical tasks, such as providing in-depth support and advice.

RESEARCH

Envisioning the Future of Supporting Youth Mentoring Programs