Engaging More Men in Mentoring

A key factor in fostering the resilience of children and youth is the presence of at least one caring adult who holds high but reasonable expectations of them. In some instances, this relationship is formally facilitated by an organization in the form of mentorship. Despite the documented positive effects men have in the lives of children, the majority of mentors are women. Many organizations report having significant difficulty recruiting and retaining male mentors despite a growing demand. To date, virtually no research has been conducted in Canada to explore this issue. In this project, we will carefully examine the research that has been conducted in the United States and abroad and have systematic discussions with organizations in Alberta who are engaged in mentoring. The overarching goal of this project is to provide Canadian based guidance and resources to mentoring agencies to support them in recruiting more male mentors.

Faculty Supervisor:

Phillip Sevigny

Student:

Vincenza Martinovich

Partner:

Boys and Girls Clubs Big Brothers Big Sisters of Edmonton and Area

Discipline:

Education

Sector:

Education

University:

University of Alberta