Taking care of youth mentoring relationships: Red flags, repair, and respectful resolution
Abstract
Mentoring is portrayed in the literature as benefiting young people, but ineffective or early termination of youth mentoring relationships can be detrimental. Researchers have not adequately explored issues surrounding the breakdown of youth mentoring relationships. Underpinned by a socio-ecological perspective, in this exploratory study we consider the various contexts within which these important relationships exist and identify early warning signs or red flags that a mentoring relationship is struggling. We interviewed mentees, mentors, and coordinators from four Western Australian youth mentoring programs about their experiences of mentoring relationships. Our findings suggest that red flags and repair strategies may be specific to particular programs, and that program coordinators play an important role in supporting relationships. Our research will help youth mentoring programs work toward early intervention strategies or appropriate and respectful termination of a relationship.
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Qualitative studies in the U.S. and Australia identified several reasons for early termination, including unforeseen changes in life circumstances, mentees' dissatisfaction, disappointment or disinterest, mentor dissatisfaction, unrealistic expectations, mentors' lack of relational skills, parents' interference and lack of parental support, gradual dissolution, and abandonment.
“Their reported reasons for early termination included genuinely unforeseen changes in the mentors’ and mentees’ life circumstances, mentees’ dissatisfaction, disappointment or disinterest, mentor dissatisfaction, unrealistic expectations on the part of the mentors or the mentees, the mentors’ lack of relational skills, parents’ interference and lack of parental support, gradual dissolution with”
From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [118]
Weaker relationships were more likely to end as a result of mentors' or mentees' dissatisfaction with the relationship, or to dissolve without formal termination.
“Weaker relationships were more likely to end as a result of mentors’ or mentees’ dissatisfaction with the relationship, or to dissolve without formal termination [116,118,119,120,121].”
From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [118]
A qualitative study of various mentoring programs reported that ongoing support and encouragement from program coordinators that facilitate flexible responses to mentee's changing needs, provide the opportunity for reflection, and provide practical advice were critical for repairing relationship conflicts and breakdowns.
“A qualitative study of various mentoring programs reported that ongoing support and encouragement from program coordinators that facilitate flexible responses to mentee’s changing needs, provide the opportunity for reflection, and provide practical advice were found to be critical for repairing relationship conflicts and breakdowns [118].”
From Unpacking Community-Based Youth Mentoring Relationships: An Integrative Review (2021) · cites this paper as [118]
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References 36 · Cited by 9
- Authors
- MacCallum, J., Beltman, S., Coffey, A., & Cooper, T.
- Affiliations
- Murdoch University (AU)
- Curtin University (AU)
- The University of Notre Dame Australia (AU)
- Edith Cowan University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- MacCallum, Judith
- Venue
- Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2017-05-27
- Volume
- 25
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 250-271
- ISSN
- 1361-1267 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-9745
- OpenAlex
- W2748341200
- Cited by
- 9
- References
- 36
- Citations by year
- 2026: 2 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 1 · 2018: 1
- FWCI
- 0.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Mentoring & Tutoring Partnership in Learning (publishedVersion)
- Murdoch University Research Portal (submittedVersion)
- ResearchOnline@ND (The University of Notre Dame) (submittedVersion)
- Edith Cowan University Research Online (Edith Cowan University) (submittedVersion)
- eSpace (Curtin University) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- WA Department of Local Government and Communities (there is no grant number)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mentoring and Academic Development
- Social Sciences › Safety Research › Youth Development and Social Support
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Counseling Practices and Supervision
- Keywords
- youth mentoring, red flags, relationship repair, program coordinators, early intervention, socio-ecological perspective
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