Written by former peer mentors and youth mentees, this guide informs and supports youth interested in peer mentoring, which involves older youth and young adults advising and supporting younger peers facing many of the issues already faced by the peer mentors in similar circumstances.
A peer mentor is trained and qualified to be an authentic and reliable source of guidance for a younger peer; offers constructive opportunities and solutions for perceived problems; and listens to, supports. and encourages the mentee. There are also benefits in being a peer mentor. These include the development of interpersonal and communication skills and the feeling of beneficial sharing with a younger peer what one has learned about fulfilling and responsible decisionmaking. Peer mentors learn to develop reports on their mentoring, which includes tracking interactions with the peer mentee and providing feedback to both program managers and the mentee. In addition to explaining the benefits of being a peer mentee, this guide discusses how a mentoring program can provide support for a peer mentor. This support includes training in basic responsibilities as a peer mentor, the provision of resources that support and guide the peer mentor in behaviors and decisions, and continuing feedback on performance and results. Major sections of this guide address the building of a relationship with the mentee, setting boundaries for a healthy relationship with a mentee, and how to deal with disappointments and perceived mistakes in the mentoring relationship.