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Mentoring Resource Center
Infuse academic skill building into developmental activities. Have mentors and
mentees work on a journal or scrapbook together, write a story, or prepare drama
skits, rather than simply providing them with workbooks or going over homework
assignments.
Offer a wide variety of activities that matches can choose from each time they
meet, or start with a group project followed by time for matches to continue the
activity on their own.
Involve mentors and mentees in choosing topics for new program activities or suggesting
how to carry out a specific activity. Mentors can also lead activities for the
group with guidance from staff.
Check in with mentors frequently to see if there are specific issues that are coming
up, such as teasing or bullying, and find activities that can help matches work on
these, either one on one or in a group. This will not only help improve the mentoring
relationship but will also develop mentors’ leadership and problem-solving
skills.
If you plan to use an ongoing curriculum or set of lesson plans to address specific
issues or promote developmental changes, be sure to allow time for free interaction
and opportunities to choose activities. If matches are only meeting to “get through”
another prescribed activity the relationship has little opportunity to develop positively.
Activity Themes
The kinds of activities you select should reflect your program goals and the mentees you
are serving. They will also depend on the resources—both at school and in the community—available
to your program. School and community partners can be instrumental
in helping you provide a wide variety of fun, developmental activities. Develop written
agreements that define what kinds of assistance your partners can provide, along with policies
and procedures that govern student participation in any off-site activities. For example,
if matches need access to the school library on a regular basis, work out an agreement
with the librarian about when and how this can occur. Plan ahead and create new activity
options throughout the year that are responsive to match interests and needs.
The list of resources at the end of this section can help you find a variety of specific,
ready-to-use activities, but there are several general activity areas that cross-age peer
mentoring programs in schools tend to focus on:
Academic activities
Helping with homework—Mentors are often called upon to help mentees finish
writing assignments or solve a tricky math problem. This can build trust, as long as
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