This qualitative interview study applied a systemic model of youth mentoring relationships to the study of mentoring relationship endings in community-based mentoring matches to understand why these matches ended
Although early closure of formal youth mentoring relationships has recently begun to receive some attention, more information is needed about factors that contribute to premature endings, and how those factors interact, so that empirically based program practices can be developed and disseminated to prevent such endings and to ensure that youth reap the benefits mentoring can provide. The current study interviewed mentors, parents/guardians of mentees, and program staff associated with 36 mentoring matches that had ended. They were interviewed about their experiences of these relationships and their understanding of why they had ended. Thematic analysis of the interview transcripts and mentoring program case notes for each match were followed by systemic modeling of the relationships. There were three major findings. First. a strong mentor–youth relationship is necessary but not sufficient for match longevity. Second, the mentor–youth relationship, even when relatively strong, is unlikely to withstand disruptions in other relationships in the system. Third, agency contextual factors, such as program practices and policies and staffing patterns, have a critical role to play in sustaining mentoring matches, since they directly influence all the relationships in the mentoring system. Overall, these findings highlight the importance of considering, not just the mentoring dyad, but also the parent/guardian and program context when attempting to prevent match closures. The findings also point to several program practices that may support longer mentoring relationships. (publisher abstract modified)