Start with the need: a caring adult over the long term, help with one specific goal, weekly structure and accountability, or a higher level of care. Then choose the program type that matches, ask how mentors are chosen and matched, how often you meet and what happens between sessions, and walk away from any program that promises results or cannot answer basic questions.
The main types of mentoring programs
Each type below does something well. The goal is fit, not finding the single best program.
Volunteer programs
Usually run by nonprofits, these pair a young person with a trained volunteer who meets with them over months or years. They are strong on long-term connection and are usually free. Expect eligibility rules, possible waitlists and less frequent, less goal-driven meetings. See volunteer vs paid mentors.
School-based programs
Run during or after school, often with older students, staff or community volunteers. They are convenient and tied to school life, but tend to end with the school year and cover broad topics rather than one student’s goals.
Group programs
A mentor works with several people at once, through workshops, cohorts or clubs. Groups build peer connection and cost less per person. Individual attention is limited. See group vs one-on-one mentoring.
Residential programs
The person lives on site with daily structure and staff, sometimes with clinical care. These suit situations where home is not workable or more supervision is needed. They are a large step and should be chosen with a licensed professional’s input.
Marketplace-style coaching
Online platforms list many independent coaches and mentors you can browse and book. They offer wide choice and flexible scheduling. Quality and approach vary from one person to the next, so you do more of the vetting yourself.
Dedicated one-on-one mentoring
One mentor works with one person on specific goals, on a set schedule, often with contact between sessions and updates to family. It offers the most individual attention and consistency, and it is usually paid.
A checklist of questions to ask
- Who will the mentor be, and how are mentors chosen and prepared?
- How do you match people with mentors, and what happens if the match is not right?
- How often do sessions happen, how long are they and is there contact between them?
- How are goals set and progress tracked?
- For teens, how are parents involved? For adults, what is shared and with whose permission?
- What does the program not do, and when does it refer to a licensed professional?
- Is it in person, online or both?
- What does it cost in total for a month, and how do you pause or stop?
For more on asking good questions, see questions to ask before hiring a coach and how to find a mentor.
Red flags
- Promises of specific outcomes, such as admission to a certain school or a job by a certain date.
- Pressure to commit to a long contract on the first call.
- Vague answers about who the mentor will be, or a different person every few weeks.
- Claims to diagnose or treat without licensed clinicians doing that work.
- No clear explanation of how mentors are chosen and screened.
- Sharing information about a young adult without their permission, or keeping parents of a minor completely out of the loop.
- No way to review whether it is working.
Fit by situation
- A child or teen who needs a caring adult over years: a volunteer or school-based program is often a great fit.
- Someone who wants peers and shared learning: a group program.
- A specific goal and weekly accountability: dedicated one-on-one mentoring; see accountability coaching.
- Wanting to browse many options and vet them yourself: a marketplace-style platform.
- Serious mental health concerns or substance use: start with a licensed professional, who may recommend therapy or a residential program. Mentoring can support that care, not replace it. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Where Blackburn fits
Blackburn offers dedicated one-on-one mentoring and coaching. Each client gets one mentor, sessions of 30 or 60 minutes weekly or several times a week, and text and phone contact between sessions, by video anywhere in the United States or in person in Los Angeles. For high school students, a parent is always involved. Read how mentoring works and how we match each client with a mentor. The mentor fit quiz can help you decide, or start the assessment at get started.
Related
- What does a mentor do?
- How much does a mentor cost?
- Online vs in-person mentoring
- Mentoring programs for teens, explained
- Mentorship programs for young adults, explained
Common questions
Is one-on-one mentoring better than a group program?
Not always. Groups build peer connection; one-on-one gives more individual attention and a plan built around one person’s goals.
How long should we try a program before deciding?
Agree on a review point at the start, often after several weeks. By then you should see steady attendance and some progress on agreed steps.
Should a mentoring program have licensed clinicians?
Only if it offers clinical care. A mentoring program should be clear that it does not diagnose or treat and should refer to licensed professionals when needed.
Can we switch mentors if the match is not right?
Ask this before you start. A good program will explain how it handles a match that is not working.
Get started
Trying to decide which kind of program fits your situation? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.