Department or Program

Sociology

Abstract

Foster youth and adolescents often suffer from higher rates of depression, low self-esteem, higher rates of delinquency, and lower rates of academic and workplace success. This emphasizes the need for deeper levels of support and positive role models, and one way to accomplish this is through mentoring programs. This thesis evaluates the effectiveness of “New England Community Services,”a mentoring program for youth in the foster care system. My research question is a two-fold– how does a mentoring program tailored towards foster youth affect their outcomes, and how do race, age, and gender affect the ways mentoring programs serve them? The first part of my research is a quantitative analysis of 112 client reports, evaluating engagement and resilience, percentage of goals completed, status of initial presenting issue, and whether their case was closed by the Department of Children and Families. Frequency tables and cross tabulations reveal that females, white, and older clients have more positive outcomes than their counterparts. The second part of my research is a qualitative analysis of 18 client interviews, coded in Nvivo, discussing relationships with mentors and how the program has impacted their lives. This analysis highlights the importance of having a mentor that shares mentee demographic characteristics. This research is beneficial for New England Community Services, providing insight into how well they are serving their youth, and potential areas for improvement. It is also helpful for other organizations to learn effective and equitable practices in youth mentoring.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Taylor, Heidi

Date of Graduation

5-2021

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

87

Components of Thesis

1 pdf file

Community Engagement

1

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