Elements of Effective Practice
What is the EEPM?
MENTOR’s cornerstone publication, the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™, details research-informed and practitioner-approved Standards for creating and sustaining quality youth mentoring programs and consequently, impactful mentoring relationships. The Fifth Edition, released in January 2025, reflects the most up-to-date research, practice, and thinking in the mentoring field.
The six evidence-based Standards are intended to be applicable across almost every type of youth mentoring program. Each Standard includes Benchmarks to ensure the safety and effectiveness of mentoring relationships, as well as Enhancements that may be promising, innovative and useful for programs. Additionally, a Program Planning and Management section offers recommendations for designing, building, and strengthening mentoring programs and services.
Download the EEPM 5th Edition.
The updated 5th edition of the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ expands on previous editions with updated content based on new research including:
- Youth and community voice and values
- Creating inclusive and safe program spaces for all
- Stronger program design and evaluation
You can access all 16 Elements along with helpful checklists, and so much more on MENTOR's new interactive website! Tailor-make your experience with intuitive navigation, and get the most out of this comprehensive resource to meet the needs of your program.
Supplemental Guides to EEPM
MENTOR has developed supplemental guides to address best practices for a variety of mentoring program models and specific populations.
Connect with your peers!
Join the Washington Sub-Hub to connect with professionals in the youth mentoring field. There are discussion and resource boards with the ability to ask for examples, templates, ideas or problem!
Go to hub.mentoring.org/join and complete the registration form.
- MENTOR Affiliation: "Mentoring Program Staff"
- List of Hubs: MENTOR Washington Sub-Hub
Remember to click SUBMIT and we'll get it approved!
The Science of Hope in Mentoring
Hope is the belief that your future will be better than today, and you have the power to make it so.
Hope can be measured and after over 2,000 studies Hope is one of the most predictive factors in well-being. Youth and adults benefit from high levels of Hope in all aspects of well-being: physical, emotional, academic, and career.
Learn more about the Science of Hope in this TED Talk with Dr. Chan Hellman.
Hope Science TEDx Talk Discussion Guide
We’ve developed this tool as a companion to Dr. Chan Hellman’s TEDx Talk on the Science of Hope. You can use it in your own organization to guide a discussion while watching the video as a group.
There are 3 points in which we’d encourage you to stop the video and go through that section’s discussion questions. You can then restart the video for the next section. We hope this provides an interactive and engaging, yet simple, way for your team to learn more about the Science of Hope. If you’d like to learn more about implementing the Science of Hope in your organization, please reach out to us.
Nurturing Hope for Young Adults
This resource was developed to support post-secondary institutions and mentors working with young adults.
MENTOR Washington is a proud partner of Hope Rising Washington!
Hope Rising Washington is a collaboration of public and private partners who believe in the power of hope. We aim to transform lives, organizations, and communities through the science of hope. We believe that hope is not just a concept, but a powerful force capable of driving positive change in the world.
Hope is not simply a wish. It is something we can measure, apply and grow in our communities. Now with over 2,000 studies measuring hope, it is a known predictor of success and well-being in nearly every sector.
