Friends for Youth held a webinar on building relationships across cultures through mentoring. The webinar highlighted activities from an in-person training on creating foundations for self-awareness and connecting with others. Presenters discussed dimensions of diversity and perspectives on matching mentors and mentees based on factors like race, gender, language and interests. Resources were provided on cultural competence, including research on the advantages of same-race and cross-race matching in mentoring. The webinar aimed to contribute to ongoing discussions around the intersection of culture and youth mentoring.

1. Coming Together
Across Cultures:
Intentional
Relationship
Transforming lives through
the power of mentoring
Building
Friends for Youth’s Mentoring
Institute
July 2011 Webinar

2. • All attendees muted for best sound
• Type questions and comments in the question box;
responses will either be direct to you or shared with
all attendees
• “Raise your hand” to be unmuted at end to ask
question live during webinar
• Works best for telephone or headset-to-computer
connections
• Please monitor background noise

4. Link to slides and recording
of webinar will be posted to
h5p://
www.friendsforyouth.org/
Webinars.html
Resource links and brief
survey included in follow‐up
email

5. Goals
• Highlight activities from in-person
training
• Provide resources for own trainings or
workshops
• Contribute to ongoing discussion on
intersection of culture and youth
mentoring

6. In-Person Training Agenda
• Start Where You Are
• Personal
– Creating the Foundation
– Self Awareness
– Change
– Connecting with Others
– Intentional Relationship Building
• Professional
• Nurturing Seeds of Diversity

7. Two Truths and A Lie, Cultural Version
• Name
• Agency
• Two Truths
• One Lie

8. Dimensions of Diversity
RACE ETHNICITY CLASS SEXUALITY GENDER LANGUAGE
ABILITY NATIONALITY AGE RELIGION ACHIEVEMENT EDUCATION
FAMILY POLITICS VALUES MEDIA LEGAL PHYSICAL/
SYSTEM STATUS MENTAL
HEALTH

9. ACTIVITY
Express thoughts/feelings that arise around:
culture, cultural diversity, multiculturalism,
cultural competency
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
Two people will read aloud all POSITIVE
papers and all NEGATIVE papers

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6

18. • Same-race matches have not “received
consistent support from studies to date”
and results are mixed
• “Similarity in experiences and interests may
be an equally or even more important
matching criteria”
• In naturally occurring mentoring
relationships with urban, Latino, and African
American youth, most mentors are same
race/ethnicity
• But most racial minority youth are matched
with White mentors in formal programs
• Factors to consider: Stereotype threats,
cultural values (collectivism vs.
individualism)
Sanchez & Colón, 2005

19. • Evidence “overwhelmingly in
support of ‘no more than skin-deep’
hypothesis”
Haddad, Chen, Greenberger, 2011
• “It matters when it matters.”
• Matching by demographic
similarities under some conditions:
when it is important to youth
– Relevant to where they are
– Important to identity
• Working out cultural identity
• Taking pride in cultural identity
Powers, 2011

20. • Quantitative study: potential effects of social
class differences
• Factors make a difference
– Amount of time in relationship
– Level of trust
• Same race matching
– Good for general support and assistance
– May matter in early phases
• Distinctly different matching
– Good for expanding social network, knowledge,
opportunities
– Does not have negative impact in long term
– Social class differences have no significant
effect
Gaddis, 2011

21. • Consider role of race/ethnicity/culture
• Do not match pairs on race/ethnicity
only
• Use assessments of cultural factors to
target support
• Provide cultural competency training
to mentors
• Utilize natural support systems for
youth
• Consider developing culturally
specific mentoring programs
Sanchez & Colón, 2005

22. • “…Need to be flexible and listen
more closely to experiences of
indigenous peoples and diverse
populations to ensure programming
is responsive to their unique
needs.”
Marshall & Shaver, 2010

23. Advantages of same-race matches
• Potential to create clear pictures of positive values and role
behaviors
• Offer a built-in “comfort zone” that facilitates the relationship’s
development
• Mentees and their parents/guardians prefer
Advantages of cross-race matches
• Opportunity to expand world views and to break down stigmas
and prejudices
• Matching youth right away vs. waiting for specific match
Ask mentors, mentees and parents:
• “Would you feel comfortable with someone who is of different
race/ethnicity than you?”
North & Sherk, 2000

24. GENDER
• Most programs don’t cross-gender match
LANGUAGE
• Most program match entors and mentees who speak the same language
GEOGRAPHIC PROXIMITY
• Ensure they live close enough to allow frequent contact
MUTUAL INTERESTS
• When possible, match by interest
“CHEMISTRY”
• Program staff – as catalyst – get to know personalities involved
ENVIRONMENT
• Every match is between mentee’s “total environment” and mentor’s “total
environment”
• family situation, living situation, work demands, neighborhood and community
North & Sherk, 2000

29. Resources: Handouts
• NaGonal Center for Cultural Competence: Self‐Assessment Checklist for Personnel
Providing Services and Supports to Children with DisabiliGes & Special Health Needs
and their Families
• Language and Culture Worldwide: The Cultural Iceberg
• Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota: Tools for Mentoring Adolescents, #7: The
Influence of Culture on the Mentoring RelaGonship
hWp://www.mpmn.org/Files/TMA‐7Culture2.pdf
• Teaching Tolerance: Test Yourself for Hidden Bias, What’s A Teacher To Do?, Mutual
Learning through ConversaGon
• WorldBridges: EnCountering Stereotypes h5p://world‐bridges.org/
• Friends for Youth’s Mentoring InsGtute: Mentoring Journal MulGple IdenGGes
acGvity h5p://www.friendsforyouth.org/MentorJournal.html
• American Speech‐Language‐Hearing AssociaGon: Cultural Competence Checklist
Policies and Procedures
• US Dept HHS: Achieving Cultural Competence: Guidebook for Providers of Services
to Oder Americans and their Families

30. Resources: Research & Practice
• Barajas, J. (2005) Mentoring Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth. Center
for Applied Research SoluGons.
hWp://www.carsmentoring.org/publicaGons/lisGng.php?publicaGon_id=157
• Gaddis, S.M. (2011). What's in a Rela7onship? An Examina7on of Social Capital,
Race, and Class in Mentoring Rela7onships. UNC at Chapel Hill.
• Haddad, E., Chen, C., & Greenberger, E. (2011). The Role of Important Non‐Parental
Adults (VIPs) in the Lives of Older Adolescents: A Comparison of Three Ethnic Groups.
Journal of Youth Adolescence. 40:310‐319.
• Jucovy, L. (2002) Same‐Race and Cross‐Race Matching (Technical Assistance Packet
#7) Public/Private Ventures and Northwest Regional EducaGonal Laboratory/
NaGonal Mentoring Center.
www.ppv.org/ppv/publicaGons/assets/26_publicaGon.pdf
• Marshall, D. & Shaver, K. (2010). Culture, Context, and Innova7on: A Kiwi Canuck
Perspec7ve. In Karcher, M. & Nakkula, M. (Eds.) New DirecGons for Youth
Development: Theory, PracGce, Research. San Francisco: Jossey‐Bass.
• North, D. & Sherk, J.(2000) CreaGng and Sustaining A Winning Match. Center for
Applied Research SoluGons.
hWp://carsmentoring.org/publicaGons/lisGng.php?publicaGon_id=152
• Sanchez, B & Colon, Y. (2005). Race, Ethnicity, and Culture in Mentoring
Rela7onships. In DuBois, D. & Karcher, M. (Eds.) Handbook on Youth Mentoring.
Thousand Oaks: Sage PublicaGons.

31. Thank you!
Link to slides and recording of webinar will be
posted to
h5p://www.friendsforyouth.org/Webinars.html
Resource links and brief survey included in
follow‐up email

33. www.mentoringinsBtute.org
650‐559‐0200
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