{"id":32041,"date":"2023-05-19T14:35:02","date_gmt":"2023-05-19T14:35:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caseyfamilyv2.wpengine.com\/employing-youth-peer-mentors\/"},"modified":"2026-07-17T17:53:58","modified_gmt":"2026-07-17T17:53:58","slug":"emplear-a-jovenes-mentores-pares","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casey.org\/es\/employing-youth-peer-mentors\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00bfCu\u00e1les son algunas consideraciones a tener en cuenta a la hora de emplear y apoyar a los j\u00f3venes mentores entre iguales en el \u00e1mbito del bienestar infantil?"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Peer support is a recognized therapeutic model for recovery and well-being that was first developed and used in the 1970s<\/span><\/a> in the mental health and substance use disorder systems. Since that time, child protection agencies have also discovered the value of offering parent peer support<\/span><\/a>: voluntary advocacy, mentoring, and coaching by a fellow parent with past child welfare system experience.<\/p>\n

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Peer support for young people impacted by the child welfare system is equally important. Youth peer mentorship should be part of a healing-centered, culturally responsive system of supports<\/b><\/span><\/a>, and can include one-to-one support with goal setting or advocacy in court and team meetings. It can also include group support such as in-person or online support groups or other peer-run services, trainings, and events. Young adults sometimes provide peer mentorship as one part of a larger youth voice role that may include training and technical assistance to professional staff, participation on organizational or jurisdictional advisory committees, outreach, and policy advocacy.<\/p>\n

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While some of the principles guiding effective parent partnership also apply to youth mentorship, the unique developmental needs of youth require special considerations, particularly concerning hiring, training, supervision, and professional development.1<\/sup><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Youth peer mentorship is important in the child welfare system because, unfortunately, the system is inherently rooted in experiences of broken trust between youth and adults. Knowing this, we have a responsibility as a system, as service providers, and as change agents, to rebuild trust with young people. When you ask young people who they are most likely to trust, it is individuals who have walked in similar shoes. Peer support creates a mechanism for those who have felt and absorbed, with all their senses, the adversities and difficulties of the child welfare system to let young people still in the system know that they\u2019re not alone, and their pain can be turned into purpose.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Jessica Grimm, Executive Director, Bravehearts<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
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Benefits of youth peer support<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Evidence of the benefits and effectiveness of young adult peer support for youth transitioning from foster care to independence is limited. Peer support staff often work as part of larger support teams with other professional staff, which makes their impact difficult to isolate and quantify. The value of peer support more broadly has been well established, however, particularly in mental health and substance use recovery. Benefits cited in a 2013 literature review<\/span> <\/a>conducted by Youth MOVE include \u201cchanging the culture of mental health from illness and disability to health and ability\u201d and inspiring hope and the belief that recovery is possible.<\/p>\n

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Some research has shown that peer mentoring programs can promote educational success for youth in or transitioning from foster care. Findings from a limited clinical trial<\/span><\/a> suggest that the Better Futures model can increase high school completion, participation in higher education, and quality of life for youth in foster care with mental health conditions. A recent evaluation of the Bridging Success program at Arizona State University (see Jurisdictional Examples, below) showed a positive impact on both first-year retention and degree completion rates for those who participated, compared to students who were eligible but elected not to participate.<\/p>\n

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Peer support confers <\/b>benefits for the people providing<\/i> the service<\/b><\/span><\/a> as well as those receiving it<\/b>, including increasing self-esteem, confidence, and personal recovery. \u201cEven though being a youth advocate can be triggering,\u201d notes Diane Ramirez, Youth Advocate Program director, West Coast Children\u2019s Clinic, \u201cthere\u2019s also a lot of healing that happens in these roles.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Considerations for employing youth peer mentors<\/h2>\n \n \n \n

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Organizational preparation<\/b><\/h3>\n

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The employment of youth peer mentors is one of several ways that a child protection agency may operationalize authentic youth engagement<\/span><\/a>. Before launching any peer mentoring program, agencies must examine their purpose and goals for youth engagement, learn what it means to truly value youth partners<\/span><\/a>, and prepare to share power with young adults in a true spirit of partnership, from program conceptualization to implementation to ongoing CQI and monitoring over time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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Organizations are often in a rush to bring young people in, but if they haven\u2019t done the necessary preparation, it can be harmful in the long run. You have to take time to ensure the staff and agency are set up to support young people\u2019s involvement. Being able to meet young people where they are is important.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Jasmine Boatwright, Youth MOVE<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
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Young people should be engaged in the development of a peer mentorship program from the outset, through advisory groups and\/or co-design sessions with youth, advocates, and professional staff. Local peer-run organizations, including chapters of Youth MOVE National<\/span><\/a> or Foster Youth in Action<\/span><\/a>, may be able to provide additional support or guidance. Create frequent, ongoing opportunities for youth peers to provide periodic feedback directly to leadership about the developing program and any other organizational and systemic issues that may impact its implementation.<\/p>\n

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Hiring<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Peer mentors are most relatable when they share as many characteristics as possible with the young people they serve, including race and ethnicity, community background, education, income, and other life experiences. Justine Cheung of ASU\u2019s Bridging Success program refers to this as hiring \u201clike peers, not near-peers.\u201d For example, she has noticed that since hiring peer mentors from the full gender spectrum, engagement and participation of young adult males has increased significantly. Bravehearts\u2019 Executive Director Jessica Grimm notes that where mentors come from is important. \u201cWe need to be going into the places where our young people are being served. This not only rebuilds trust but also inspires young people to believe that they, too, can overcome challenges and be successful.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Peer mentorship program representatives also shared that, with the exception of candidates\u2019 lived experience, flexibility is key. It is important to thoroughly investigate hiring requirements, including those dictated by federal or state grants and\/or necessitated by insurance policies, to determine which can be adapted for this population. Whenever possible, programs should seek to remove requirements for diplomas, degrees, credentials, and licenses, or allow candidates to work toward credentials while on the job. In Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, for example, incoming Youth Support Partners<\/span><\/a> are granted six months after hire to obtain a driver\u2019s license and vehicle, and support is available. Offer flexible scheduling, for example, with a combination of in-person work and online training.<\/p>\n

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For many programs, although the requirements are flexible, interviewing is extensive and rigorous. Current peer mentors can play important roles in the recruitment and vetting process. Their involvement can include staffing recruitment tables at community events, hosting informal information sessions, leading panel interviews and role-playing scenarios. Alameda County asks finalists to participate in a hands-on project with current peer mentors to assess their approach to teamwork and handling stress. Administrative staff generally make the final decision about hiring, but feedback from peers is often weighted heavily.<\/p>\n

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Coaching and support<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Young adult peer mentors frequently require support with issues both related and unrelated to the job. Much like the youth they serve, they may experience unstable housing, unhealthy relationships, trauma symptoms, and mental health concerns. On the job, they may find themselves advocating for a young person who is experiencing something very similar to what they went through (or are still going through), working with a social worker with whom they had a past negative experience, or strongly disagreeing with a court decision.<\/p>\n

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Support for youth peer mentors begins with extensive orientation to the role. It is important to ensure young adults understand the system from a new perspective and become familiar with the terms they will hear in meetings. Peer mentors receive training and coaching on people skills, professionalism, and life skills. Ongoing supervision is also a critical consideration, and many program leaders emphasize a highly supportive, nonpunitive coaching model. \u201cOften adults look at supervising young people the same way they look at supervising adults, but it\u2019s very different,\u201d says Youth MOVE\u2019s Boatwright. Policies and procedures may need to be adapted to the unique needs and situations presented by each new cohort of youth peers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \n \n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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It is essentially a job with \u2018training wheels.\u2019 Without those training wheels, a lot of the youth advocates wouldn\u2019t last very long. It\u2019s important to strike a balance between holding them accountable and having high expectations for them, while giving them all the support they need to be successful.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

— Diane Ramirez, Director of Youth Advocate Program (YAP), West Coast Children\u2019s Clinic, Alameda County<\/cite><\/figcaption>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n
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Peer mentors benefit from support not just from their supervisors but from one another. In Allegheny County, Youth Support Partner units function as a family \u2013 supporting each other in formal and informal ways, and celebrating both professional successes and personal milestones together. Fun is another element frequently mentioned by those who work with young adult peer mentors. Team building, group celebrations, and other recreational activities can provide some balance to the heaviness of committee and advocacy work. Ramirez notes, \u201cIt\u2019s important to find the right admin staff who are committed to the work and who truly enjoy and can have fun with the advocates.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Professional development<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Youth peer mentors, by definition, cannot remain in their roles forever. Most will age out of the work by around age 25. Programs must be thinking about where youth will go next and how they can support their future career success. Bravehearts\u2019 Grimm stresses, \u201cWe do a great job of getting young people and families into positions where they can represent their communities and peers. But do we give them careers, or do we give them positions? Is it about filling a position or positioning the future?\u201d<\/p>\n

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Te Jay of Youth MOVE National recommends dedicating approximately 25% of a youth peer mentor\u2019s role to professional development. Other tips include:<\/p>\n