This study is an exploratory evaluation of a multi-support peer mentoring process for young people with disabilities. Peer mentors, who were 4 young adults with a range of disabilities, made weekly phone calls to 12 young adults with disabilities as part of the Project TEAM intervention. The peer mentors had two primary methods of support: 1) a script with verbatim instructions of what to say, and 2) a supporter, who provided one on one support during the process. In total, there were 82 phone calls between 12 mentor trainee dyads. The audio for these calls was independently coded by 2 raters for the following criteria: mentor achieving objectives, mentor using the script, mentor using the supporter and trainee demonstrating engagement. The frequency of each code was transformed to a percentage to allow for comparisons between mentors. The evaluation found that mentors achieved a high percentage of objectives, that trainees in the program were consistently engaged, and that each peer mentor used supports in a unique way. A chi square found that there is a significant relationship between using supports and achieving objectives. The significance appears to be driven by a larger than expected number of peer mentors who did not meet objectives when not utilizing supports. Overall, the evaluation found that young people a range of disabilities can serve successfully as peer mentors when given support and that young people with disabilities can engage in a phone based mentoring process. This study can help inform future revisions to the peer mentoring program by tailoring the types of supports to each mentors individual preferences.

This research explored the relationship between peer mentorship and international student adjustment to life and studies in Taiwan. Questionnaires were drafted and sent to participants via email, and physically. The hypotheses explored the relationship between peer mentorship and international student adjustment to life and studies in Taiwan; informal peer mentorship vs. higher mentorship functions/satisfaction; and Taiwanese peer mentors vs. higher mentorship functions/satisfaction. Independent samples Tests were used to test the hypotheses. However, the test results did not accept any of the proposed hypotheses. Perhaps peer mentorship is not positively related to international adjustment, or perhaps the research is missing something.

This study examined those employment-focused interventions (services, programming, mentorship, other supports) most effective in supporting an individual’s desistance from gang involvement. Utilizing a qualitative approach (interviews, document analysis and nonparticipant observation), this study engaged with individuals and organizations involved in the critical work of gang desistance to learn what makes their practices most effective. The criticality of gang desistance work lies in its efforts to address the thousands of lives continually lost each year as a result of gang-involvement and activity. Where gangs exist in cities, towns and communities across the country (and world, for that matter), the approaches of demonization, marginalization and suppression continue as the overwhelming response to gangs and gang activity. This study highlighted the individuals and organizations offering an alternative, employment-focused approach built on peer- and community-based efforts founded on inclusion and empowerment. Through the data collection, this study intended to identify and detail the practices of the research participants and why they are effective. Beginning with a review of available research within the field of gang desistance, an understanding of the evolving theories of the phenomenon of one desisting from gang involvement were explored, followed by an exploration of why individuals join gangs, the impacts of gang involvement, what prompts gang members to desist, and those interventions most supportive of this desistance. With an emphasis on service providers and leaders with the lived experience of gang desistance, as well as organizations dedicated to gang desistance work, the themes and evidence that emerged from the data collection provided deeper insights into how the process of desisting from gang involvement can be most effectively supported and realized. The outcome of this research pointed to several components of the work of gang desistance that make it most effective. These components focused on the desisting individual and the internal and external elements that both prompted and help maintained their desistance; the types of interventions most conducive to supporting a desisting individual––especially those focused on the individual’s identity desistance and self-efficacy; and, finally, those qualities of those service providers and organizations who provided these interventions and what made them impactful and effective. The findings of this study revealed that there are models, practices and other elements to support individuals toward effectively desisting from gang involvement. The findings also revealed the challenging and dynamic nature of the phenomenon of gang desistance––both for those desisting and those supporting them. Resulting from this nature of the work and the still developing field of gang desistance studies, these findings also offered areas of focus for future research toward a stronger understanding of the process of gang desistance, and, more importantly, the development and implementation of effective gang desistance concepts and practices.

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Peer mentorship and school connectedness was reviewed here through social capital and cultural capital lenses. The relationship has been interwoven to create an idea of how to shape an environment which can foster cohesiveness among students. Peer mentorship has been indicated as a significant contribution to cross-aged grade levels with the improvement in attendance, behavior, social activities, and school awareness—which are encompassed in the term, school connectedness. In regards to college access and college knowledge, peer mentorship here, assists with the transfer of social capital and cultural capital. Students were able to develop relationships and gain knowledge passed on from mentors regarding how to better their chances of attending a higher education institution. Social capital, the number of people and networks a certain individual maintains, can affect the information a person receives and amount of social status a student brings into the classroom. Cultural capital, the wealth of information and knowledge of the arts and experiences, can be obtained through connections. Social capital and cultural capital are instrumental and interrelated factors of social status, as referenced by many sociologists and educational researchers. In this study, peer mentorship was used to foster social capital and cultural capital to create interrelationships among participants of a college-preparatory program. It is imperative to utilize this program and develop an environment which imparts information regarding college. Employment of cross-age mentorship to increase communication between peers and mentors assisted in relationship development while building a desire for the mentees to learn more about higher education. Keywords: peer mentorship, social capital, cultural capital, collaboration, college knowledge, college access