e-Mentoring Enhances Learning
Online communities are one of the newest ways to bring the knowledge and experience of real-world professionals into your classroom. Whether working on the development of writing skills or connecting math students with banking and finance specialists, e-Mentoring can help engage your students in learning! E-Mentoring projects serve as an excellent tool for teachers to incorporate technology, writing and community partnership into their classroom as well as enhance content relevancy.

How It Works
Individual projects can be tailored to your course curriculum. Projects typically last from 8 weeks to a semester or a full school year. Students and mentors usually meet at least twice—once at the beginning of the project, and again at the end. Our education specialist can help create guiding questions and themes for your project that will allow your students to use e-Mentoring as a way to enhance their knowledge and interest in your content area. Download a PDF of sample MentorMail Project Summaries. Access Quick Resources page.

How Much Time Does It Take
Students e-mail mentors on a weekly or bi-weekly basis, during class time. Allotted time may vary by teacher, and can be as little as 10 minutes a session or as much as 30 minutes depending on the goals for the week and the subject content. Teachers can also expect to spend about 10 minutes a week to complete project oversight.

It’s Safe
All e-mail exchanges take place on our safe, easy to use MentorMail system. Students and mentors have their own accounts, usernames and passwords—no business or personal e-mail addresses are exchanged. All messages are monitored and reviewed for content by a School District Project Manager and the system automatically “flags” inappropriate messages, language, attachments or personal contact information.

Like all YouthFriends volunteers, prospective e-mentors complete a volunteer application and are carefully screened and trained. Volunteers are encouraged to attend, in person, both a project kick-off event and a concluding activity.

E-Mentors Make a Difference
Having a caring adult to communicate and connect with in a specific field of study can make all the difference in generating an overall positive experience for that student. In fact, national research continues to show that students involved in e-Mentoring demonstrate improvements in communication and computer skills, and increases interest in schoolwork and career opportunities for the future.

What is MentorMail
MentorMail is an innovative software tool developed by YouthFriends to make the e-Mentoring process easy, safe and worthwhile. MentorMail is a secure, web-based messaging system that allows caring adult volunteers to mentor students online. Students and e-Mentors write messages to each other through MentorMail instead of through personal e-mail addresses. Teachers access and review student and mentor messages to track student progress and check comprehension of lessons. Because MentorMail is web-based, most teachers can conveniently monitor and review student and e-Mentor emails from their classroom computer or remotely. MentorMail also provides teachers with the ability to block specific words and content so that students are shielded from unacceptable content.

How To Get Involved
Contact your YouthFriends School District Coordinator with e-Mentoring project ideas or contact YouthFriends directly at 816.268.3343. Or teachers can complete an e-Mentoring project proposal, working with their YouthFriends building or district coordinator. Once a proposal is approved, teachers are trained by their coordinator in how to use MentorMail and are provided with a MentorMail password. To learn more visit youthfriends.org.

Download a PDF version here.