{"id":18087,"date":"2026-10-24T08:45:06","date_gmt":"2026-10-24T08:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/?p=18087"},"modified":"2026-10-25T10:55:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-25T10:55:54","slug":"mentorship-programs-for-children","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/mentorship-programs-for-children\/","title":{"rendered":"Mentorship Programs For Children From Underserved Communities"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Summary<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>In a <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/9298804\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">long-running study<\/a> in Kauai, most children who overcame a hard start had at least one caring adult beside them. In India, about 2.8 crore children are the first in their families to complete six years of school.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A mentor can guide first-generation learners through subject choices and scholarships, and help them feel calmer and more confident. That is why mentorship programs for children are so important.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mentor Together and Make A Difference screen and train their volunteers, and many programs now reach remote villages online or by phone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In one US study, children with a mentor were 46% less likely to start using drugs. Matches that last a year or more help most, especially when mentors turn up reliably and listen before they advise.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>In 2024, Smile Foundation\u2019s Mission Education reached 1.2 lakh children in 25 states, and its Child for Child program helps children from different backgrounds learn from each other.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"Mentorship programs for children\" class=\"wp-image-7864\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-1536x1023.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/442364751_883671320450678_5707064767570902223_n.jpg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 1955, researchers began following 698 babies born on the Hawaiian island of Kauai. About a third of them were growing up in poverty, with trouble at home. By the time they were teenagers, two in three of these children were facing serious problems at school or in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rest of this group, about one in three, grew into confident, caring adults. When psychologist Emmy Werner looked closely at their lives, she found that most of them had at least one person who accepted them just as they were. For many, it was a favourite teacher who became a friend and role model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01-one-caring-adult-1024x768.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18095\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01-one-caring-adult-1024x768.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01-one-caring-adult-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01-one-caring-adult-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/01-one-caring-adult.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have seen this in my own family. My father grew up in a poor village where no one in his family had ever studied. He left home to look for work and found a job at a boarding school. He had always longed to study, and one day he shared that wish with the headmaster. The headmaster agreed to help, but warned him that it would take a great deal of hard work. He then enrolled my father for the Class 10 exam through distance learning. My father did chores around the school all day and studied through the night. In time, he joined the Indian Army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, he and my mother made sure that all four of us studied. My eldest sister became an engineer, and the other three of us went on to complete MBAs at reputed colleges. Today we all have good jobs and a family home in Delhi. My parents worked hard for every step of that journey. The headmaster\u2019s belief in my father gave him somewhere to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04-one-belief-five-lives-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18099\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04-one-belief-five-lives-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04-one-belief-five-lives-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04-one-belief-five-lives-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/04-one-belief-five-lives.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow-1024x683.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow-1024x683.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow-768x512.png 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow-1200x800.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/One-Mentor-A-Brighter-Tomorrow.png 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many children in India\u2019s villages and city bastis grow up facing the same odds, and not every one of them has that person in their life. <strong>Mentorship programs for children<\/strong> try to change that, by pairing a child with a caring adult who keeps showing up, week after week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts-1024x1024.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18100\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts-1024x1024.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts-150x150.png 150w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts-768x768.png 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/05-2-8-crore-firsts.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">About 2.8 crore children in India are the first in their families to complete six years of school, and many have no one at home who can help them through the years that follow. In 2024-25, 11.5% of students dropped out at the secondary level, and only about three in four went on from Class 10 to Class 11.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/02-step-to-class-11-still.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18097\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/02-step-to-class-11-still.png 1200w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/02-step-to-class-11-still-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/02-step-to-class-11-still-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/02-step-to-class-11-still-768x432.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What a Mentor Can Offer a Child<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A mentor is a trusted adult who makes time to listen and stays in a child\u2019s life over months or years. For a child from an underserved community, that bond can help in many ways:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Guidance no one at home can give:<\/strong> First-generation learners often have no one to ask about subject choices or scholarships. A mentor can help them through each step<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A wider world:<\/strong> Many children in low-income neighbourhoods have never met an engineer or a nurse. Through a mentor, they can learn about paths they had never heard of<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Confidence and calm:<\/strong> Children who grow up with money worries at home often carry a lot of stress. Regular, gentle time with someone kind helps them feel steadier<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>A reason to stay in school:<\/strong> When there is pressure to earn or marry early, a mentor who believes in the child can help the family see the value of a few more years of study<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Not every mentor comes through a program. A teacher who stays back after class or an older cousin who helps with forms can play the same part, as many of the Kauai children found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Mentorship Programs for Children Work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentoring can take several forms. A child might meet the same adult regularly, or join a small group led by one mentor. Peer mentoring pairs older students with younger ones, and e-mentoring happens over video or phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">SmartGaon connects children in rural schools with volunteer mentors online for an hour or two a week. Where the internet is weak, mentors often keep in touch through short phone calls arranged by the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good programs choose their mentors with care. Mentor Together, which has supported more than 48,400 young people in India, screens and trains every volunteer, and its staff check on each pair for safety. Many programs pair girls with women mentors. Some look for mentors who speak the child\u2019s language or who were once first-generation learners themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Make A Difference, with more than 2,000 volunteers in 20 cities, adjusts its support as a child grows. Younger children get help with reading and maths, and teenagers with exams and career choices. The support continues even after they turn 18.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Mumbai, Mentor Together paired Sumaiya, a shy 21-year-old who found it hard to speak up, with Usha, a 66-year-old former computer teacher. Every two weeks, they worked on planning her time and handling stress. Sumaiya began taking jobs to save for her studies, and when an employer tried to delay her pay, she stood her ground and was paid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What the Evidence Shows<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a well-known US study of Big Brothers Big Sisters, children with a mentor were 46% less likely to start using drugs over 18 months and skipped school about half as often. A 2019 review of 70 studies found a steady, moderate benefit from mentoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/03-what-changed-with-a-mentor-1024x576.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-18098\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/03-what-changed-with-a-mentor-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/03-what-changed-with-a-mentor-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/03-what-changed-with-a-mentor-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/03-what-changed-with-a-mentor.png 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentorship programs for children in India are showing encouraging results too. After a year-long program for 20 girls in a government institution in south India, the girls felt more confident about speaking in public and taking exams, and some resisted pressure to marry early. Among Mentor Together\u2019s mentees, 72% scored higher on self-belief after the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Helps Mentoring Work Well<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentorship programs for children work best when a few things are in place:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Matches that last:<\/strong> In one study, pairs that met regularly for a year or more saw clear gains. School-based matches that ended within six months changed little<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Mentors who understand a child\u2019s world:<\/strong> Only 12% of mentors in one large study had lived in poverty themselves, so training helps them see that a missed meeting may simply mean a long bus ride or a borrowed phone<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keeping children safe:<\/strong> Background checks and a child protection policy protect everyone, and meetings happen in open, approved spaces. Online mentoring runs on supervised platforms, with no private numbers exchanged<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Involving families:<\/strong> Parents who meet the mentor are more likely to trust the program. In one Indian study, families were wary at first, and their worries eased over time<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pairing guidance with practical help:<\/strong> A hungry child finds it hard to think about the future, so many programs link mentoring with meals or scholarships<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A mentor who leaves suddenly can hurt a child\u2019s trust, so good programs plan each goodbye with care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How You Can Become a Good Mentor<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you would like to become a mentor, most mentorship programs for children welcome new volunteers, and these steps and habits can help you begin:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Choose a registered program:<\/strong> Look for an NGO with a child protection policy and trained staff. Expect a background check and some training before you are matched<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Commit for the long term:<\/strong> Plan for regular meetings over at least six months, and ideally a year or more. Arriving on time, every time, shows a child they matter<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Listen first:<\/strong> Let the child lead, and save advice for when it helps<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Respect the family:<\/strong> Remember that parents know their child best<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Keep clear boundaries:<\/strong> Never give money or gifts privately, and tell program staff about any worry for a child\u2019s safety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Lean on the program:<\/strong> Keep the staff updated on how the match is going. They are there to help whenever you need it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Smile Foundation Supports Children<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"819\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donate-for-girl-child-education-819x1024.jpg\" alt=\"After school programs for children\" class=\"wp-image-17654\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donate-for-girl-child-education-819x1024.jpg 819w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donate-for-girl-child-education-240x300.jpg 240w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donate-for-girl-child-education-768x960.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/donate-for-girl-child-education.jpg 854w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through its <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/smile-foundations-mission-education-program-avenue-for-csr-partnership\/\">Mission Education program<\/a>, Smile Foundation reached 1.2 lakh children in 25 states in 2024, half of them girls. Many children come to its centres from nearby bastis, and some travel a long way to be there. Alongside their lessons, they receive regular nutrition and health support. Volunteers who teach at the centres often build close bonds with the students, and some former students now come back to help the younger ones, in the same classrooms where they once studied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Smile Foundation\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/child-for-child\/\">Child for Child program<\/a> brings children from different backgrounds together. In Zirakpur, near Chandigarh, students and teachers of The Gurukul school mentored around 50 children from a Mission Education centre as they prepared songs and dances for the school\u2019s Achievement Day. With their help, the children found the confidence to perform on stage, and both groups learned from each other. Smile Foundation welcomes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/volunteer\/\">volunteers<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/corporate-partnership\/\">CSR partnerships<\/a> who would like to stand beside a child in this way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>FAQs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>1.What are mentorship programs for children?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mentorship programs for children pair a child with a trained adult volunteer who meets them regularly and becomes someone they can turn to as they grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>2. How is a mentor different from a teacher or tutor?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A tutor helps with a subject such as maths. A mentor cares about the whole child and listens to their worries and hopes for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>3. How long should a mentoring relationship last?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Research suggests at least a year of regular meetings, since children often need time to trust someone new.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>4. How do mentorship programs for children<\/strong> <strong>keep children safe?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Good mentorship programs for children screen and train every mentor and follow a child protection policy. Staff also check in on each match regularly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>5. Can mentoring happen online?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Many programs in India connect mentors and children through supervised video and phone calls. This helps them reach children in remote villages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>6. Who can become a mentor?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most programs welcome adults who can give an hour or two a week for several months. Patience and reliability matter most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Sources<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/raggeduniversity.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/werner1993.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Risk, Resilience and Recovery: Perspectives from the Kauai Longitudinal Study, Emmy Werner, 1993<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.downtoearth.org.in\/governance\/28-million-indian-children-are-first-in-their-families-to-complete-six-years-of-schooling-study-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">28 Million Indian Children Are First in Their Families to Complete Six Years of Schooling, Down To Earth, September 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/educationforallinindia.com\/progress-in-retention-amid-persistent-challenges-analysis-based-on-udiseplus-2024-25\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Progress in Retention Amid Persistent Challenges: Analysis Based on UDISE+ 2024-25, Education for All in India, September 2025<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/first-generation-learners\/\">Ten Signs a Child Is a First-Generation Learner, Smile Foundation, July 2026<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.compassioncrew.in\/blog\/educating-future-mentoring-youth\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Educating the Future: Mentoring Youth, Compassion Crew<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.evidencebasedmentoring.org\/how-can-we-better-prepare-mentors-for-working-with-children-in-poverty\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How Can We Better Prepare Mentors for Working with Children in Poverty?, The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring, February 2013<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/smartgaon.org\/mentors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mentors, SmartGaon<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/mentortogether.org\/mentoring-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mentoring Program, Mentor Together<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/diamondsdogood.com\/mentor-together-rosy-blue-help-risk-youth-india-learn-life-skills\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mentor Together and Rosy Blue Help At-Risk Youth in India Learn Life Skills, Diamonds Do Good<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.makeadiff.in\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Make A Difference<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/episcenter.psu.edu\/node\/663\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Are the Outcomes of Big Brothers Big Sisters?, EPISCenter, Penn State<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ojp.gov\/library\/publications\/effects-youth-mentoring-programs-meta-analysis-outcome-studies\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The Effects of Youth Mentoring Programs: A Meta-analysis of Outcome Studies, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 2019<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/research.iimb.ac.in\/fac_pubs\/1617\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mentoring India\u2019s Youth, IIM Kozhikode Society and Management Review, 2012<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hamiltonproject.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/mentor_disadvantaged_youth_levine_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Designing Mentoring Programs to Help Disadvantaged Youth, The Hamilton Project<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/nij.ojp.gov\/topics\/articles\/mentoring-programs-youth-promising-intervention-delinquency-prevention\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mentoring Programs for Youth: A Promising Intervention for Delinquency Prevention, National Institute of Justice, May 2021<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/smile-foundations-mission-education-program-avenue-for-csr-partnership\/\">Smile Foundation\u2019s Mission Education Program: Avenue for CSR Partnership, Smile Foundation, December 2024<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/what-it-means-to-volunteer-for-smile-foundation-and-work-with-children\/\">What It Means to Volunteer for Smile Foundation and Work with Children, Smile Foundation, October 2023<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/in-a-celebration-of-empathy-and-creativity-children-bridge-the-divide-of-privileges\/\">In a Celebration of Empathy and Creativity, Children Bridge the Divide of Privileges, Smile Foundation, March 2019<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Mentorship programs for children pair a child with a caring adult who spends time with them regularly and helps them think about their future. For a child whose parents never had the chance to finish school, a mentor can answer the questions that no one at home can, such as which subjects to choose or how to apply for a scholarship. Over time, that steady presence helps many children grow more sure of themselves and set bigger goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":40,"featured_media":17489,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[14,10],"tags":[1259],"class_list":["post-18087","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education","category-insights","tag-mentorshipprogramsforchildren"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18087","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/40"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18087"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18087\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18093,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18087\/revisions\/18093"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17489"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18087"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18087"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smilefoundationindia.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18087"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}