School-based mentoring is an ever-growing model for mentoring programs across Massachusetts, and a promising approach for reaching large numbers of youth in need of a caring adult in their lives. Mass Mentoring Partnership (MMP) is dedicated to growing and expanding the reach of quality mentoring in schools across the state by providing strategic services to develop new collaborations and strengthen current efforts.

In recent years, MMP has worked on all levels to integrate and expand school-based mentoring, from leading the development of individual programs in cities like Haverhill and Quincy to creating a comprehensive approach with school districts, state government, and other municipalities.

Below are a few examples of our ongoing work:

• MMP facilitated the development of a collaboration to expand high quality school-based mentoring in Springfield in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters Hampden County (BBBSHC), Springfield Public Schools (SPS), and Springfield School Volunteers (SSV). Mentor Springfield was created to leverage SSV’s rich history as the leading volunteer recruitment and corporate engagement arm of SPS and BBBSHC’s leadership in the delivery of high quality mentoring services. Mentor Springfield is initially focused on expanding and enhancing mentoring services to students at Chestnut Middle School (a turnaround school) and Forest Park Middle School. 
  
  “We saw an opportunity to pool the complementary expertise and years of community impact from Springfield School Volunteers and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampden Co. in partnership with Springfield Public Schools. Mentor Springfield represents an urgent effort to provide young people with the holistic support they need to succeed in school and beyond and is a statewide model for partnership in expanding quality mentoring for our young people.”  David Shapiro, president and CEO, Mass Mentoring Partnership

• MMP worked with the City of Boston, Boston Public Schools, and a collaborative of leading school-based mentoring programs to increase the number of students in quality mentoring relationships in the turnaround schools in the Circle of Promise (COP). The COP refers an area which contains 12 of Boston’s 14 underperforming schools. Through this process, an immediate gap in service was identified at the Holland Elementary School. MMP worked with school leadership to strengthen mentoring efforts at the school, identify and broker a partnership of effective mentoring programs in line with school goals and student needs, and raise seed money for the pilot.
  
  “MMP has been integral in helping Holland Elementary School establish partnerships with several local agencies in an effort to support our entire student population. Their dedication and commitment to our school has helped bridge the gap and support funding for increased service provision—we would be at a loss without them!”  Suzanne Morrow, school social worker, Holland Elementary
   
• In collaboration with Mass Mutual, Springfield School Volunteers, Putnam Vocational High School and Springfield High School of Science and Technology, MMP worked to create the Mass Mutual Career Pathways Program. This program, held at Mass Mutual during school hours, offers mentoring opportunities for Springfield high school students that demonstrate a desire to pursue careers in business, financial services, and information technology. MMP provided mentor and mentee training and trained school staff in running a high-quality academically focused program. Additionally, MMP provides technical assistance during the facilitation of the program.
  
  “Students need to understand the connection between their class work and what goes on in the world of work. Our students’ mentors at MassMutual are helping to make these invaluable connections. Mass Mentoring Partnership bridged a divide between the schools and MassMutual, giving our students an additional resource to achieve success in the future."  Mary Kay Brown, STEM Administrator, Springfield High School of Science and Technology

If you're interested in learning more about mentoring in schools, contact Zeeba Khalili, school partnership associate, at 617.695.2473 or zkhalili@massmentors.org.