Mentoring Programs, At-Risk Youth, and Life Skills: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how at-risk youth describe the development of positive life skills upon their completion of a youth mentoring program. It is not known how at-risk youth describe the development of positive life skills upon their completion of a youth mentoring program. The theoretical foundation applied to this study was Zachary’s four stages of mentoring. The following research questions were used as the guide for this qualitative descriptive study: how do at-risk youth describe the development of positive life skills upon their completion of a youth mentoring program? And how does the Aquills Mentoring Program align with Zachary’s four stages of mentoring? A purposive sampling technique was used to select fourteen at-risk youth who graduated from a mentoring program. Data were collected from fourteen participants via individual interviews and two focus groups. Data from the interviews were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis to discover four themes including: (1) needed help with life skills, (2) becoming a better person, (3) needed mentor attributes, and (4) how a mentor can help. The results of the study revealed that participants identified their need for help, but they were not sure what actions to take. The participants wanted to become better people through increased education, adequate employment and military service. Further research could focus on at-risk youth after completing the entire mentoring process.