Results of a National Mentoring
Poll
The AOL-Time Warner Foundation recently sponsored a National Mentoring Poll of 2,000
adults in the USA. The poll found that:
* A projected 57 million adults would seriously consider being a mentor to youth.
* 99 percent of all mentors already in a formal mentoring relationship would recommend
mentoring
to others.
Potential Mentors Tend to:
- be between the ages of 18 to 44
- have household incomes of $50,000 or more
- have some college education or more
- have access to the Internet
- have a child in their household.
Of These Potential Mentors:
- 88% would like to have a choice among mentoring options (depending on their schedule
and interests)
- 84% want access to expert help
- 84% want orientation and training before mentoring
- 67% would like their employer to provide time off
- 47% would be willing to mentor a youth online.
Comments & Interpretation of These Data:
These findings indicate that:
- The potential of mentoring remains largely untapped
- Mentors feel willing but somewhat unprepared to be effective as mentors
- Mentors expect to be supported in becoming effective as mentors
- The support mentors expect is an excellent model:
- Orientation
- Training
- Follow up, expert support and guidance (MENTORING of mentors)
- Are concerned that the time mentoring may take will be in excess of what they
can give without added consideration regarding their own work expectations
- Are flexible in the means they would use to support proteges.
(These conclusions have big implications for mentoring programs and are the thinking
of the IMA, not Time-Warner)
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