Mentor suitability and mentoring relationship quality: lessons from the Glasgow intergenerational mentoring network
Open accessAbstract
Abstract Inequality in educational attainment is a serious and increasing problem in Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom, and youth mentoring is gaining popularity as an intervention to address this issue. However, evidence for the effectiveness of mentoring is weak, and research suggests that a large proportion of mentoring relationships end prematurely, which can be harmful to young people. This article draws on data from the Glasgow Intergenerational Mentoring Network, an ongoing research and development project facilitating mentoring for secondary school pupils in socially disadvantaged areas, employing retired professionals as volunteer mentors. Case material is presented to discuss the nature of mentoring and the role of the mentor. This article conceptualizes volunteer mentors as relational experts, relational learners, and nonrelational mentors. The implications of these categories are discussed in terms of recruitment, training, and support of mentors, to facilitate ethical and effective mentoring relationships.
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These findings are consistent with previous research and reviews demonstrating positive impact of SBM programs on academic, social, and behavioral outcomes.
“These findings are consistent with previous research and reviews (e.g., McQuillin et al., 2011; McArthur et al., 2017; McCoy, 2017; Karaferye, 2018; Grey, 2019; May et al., 2021; Jefferson, 2022; Fehérvári and Varga, 2023; Richardson, 2024; Turgut and Tasçi, 2024), which demonstrate the positive impact of SBM programs on academic, social, and behavioral outcomes.”
From Outcome domains and assessment measures in school-based youth mentoring programs: a systematic review (2026) · cites this paper as McArthur et al., 2017
The Glasgow Intergenerational Mentoring Network section describes a school-based project and examines which mentor approaches were associated with successful relationships. The mentoring relationship section links relationship quality to positive outcomes generally, but the paper does not demonstrate positive impacts across the claimed academic, social, and behavioral outcomes. (LLM, conf=0.82)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredStudies internationally have underscored the widespread notion of mentoring as a warm, caring relationship, with only passing attention paid to the role played by race and ethnicity in formal mentoring relationships.
“studies internationally have underscored the widespread notion of mentoring as a warm, caring relationship (see, for example, studies in Hong Kong—Chan and Ho, [64]: China—Chan et al. [58]; Glasgow—McArthur et al. [56,159]; Rwanda—[60]; UK—[107]; Sweden—[39]; and the Czech Republic—[160], with only passing attention paid to the role played by race and ethnicity in formal mentoring relationships [1”
From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [159]
SBM programs had a statistically significant positive effect on students' school attendance, grade point average, social behavior, and discipline referrals.
“Especially, SBM programs had a statistically significant positive effect on students' school attendance, grade point average, social behavior, and discipline referrals (McArthur et al., 2017; McCoy, 2017; May et al., 2021; Richardson, 2024).”
From Outcome domains and assessment measures in school-based youth mentoring programs: a systematic review (2026) · cites this paper as McArthur et al., 2017
The mentoring-relationship section discusses relationship quality as a possible predictor of positive outcomes, but does not report effects on the four outcomes claimed. Searches for attendance, grade point average, social behavior, discipline referrals, and statistical significance found no passage establishing those results in our copy; page numbers were unavailable. (LLM, conf=0.75)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
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Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review
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- Authors
- McArthur, K., Wilson, A., & Hunter, K.
- Affiliations
- University of Strathclyde (GB)
- Corresponding author
- McArthur, Katie
- Venue
- Journal of Community Psychology
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2017-02-27
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 646-657
- ISSN
- 0090-4392 (ISSN-L)
- 1520-6629
- OpenAlex
- W2591891874
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1
- FWCI
- 1.18
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Journal of Community Psychology (publishedVersion)
- Strathprints: The University of Strathclyde institutional repository (University of Strathclyde) (acceptedVersion)
- ENLIGHTEN (Jurnal Bimbingan dan Konseling Islam) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Career Development and Diversity
- Keywords
- youth mentoring, mentoring relationship quality, educational inequality, high school students, socially disadvantaged youth, relational expertise
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