This is the signature training required for any organization that wants to be a certified mentoring partner in Montgomery County.

What it includes:

• Elements of Effective Mentoring (research‑based framework)

• How to start or strengthen a mentoring program

• Youth‑development principles

• Cultural responsiveness & relationship‑building

• Program safety, documentation, and compliance

• How to support mentors and mentees over time

This training is delivered by MCMC staff (e.g., Jane McEwen, Jessica Bloomingdale) and is required before an agency can access school partnerships or volunteer screening services.

MCMC is known statewide for its rigorous safety standards.

Safety components include:

• Seven‑tier volunteer screening (Local, State, Federal, International checks, SACWIS, National Sex Offender Registry, FBI/BCI fingerprinting)

• Match safety protocols

• Ongoing background checks

• Risk‑management training for mentors and staff 

This ensures every mentor placed through a partner agency meets the county’s highest safety expectations.

MCMC provides continuous learning opportunities for mentors and partner agencies:

• Lunch & Learns

• Mentoring & Re‑Engagement Summit

• Topical workshops (youth behavior, trauma‑informed mentoring, communication skills, etc.)

• Consultations and technical assistance  

These sessions help mentors stay current on best practices and maintain strong, healthy relationships with youth.

MCMC emphasizes the personal qualities and responsibilities of mentors:

• • Openness to cultural differences

  • Good listening skills

  • Patience and consistency

  • Commitment to at least one year of mentoring

• Respect for youth autonomy and self‑determination  

This is woven into all training modules so mentors understand the heart of the work—not just the procedures.

The NMRC provides the most authoritative evaluation tools in the U.S. mentoring field.

What it measures:

• Youth outcomes (academic, social-emotional, behavioral)

• Risk & protective factors

• Program implementation quality

• Relationship quality

Why it matters:

• All tools are validated, research‑reviewed, and free.

• Programs can compare themselves to national standards.

This is the gold standard if you want to compare your program to others or assess whether another program is high‑quality.

Mentorloop outlines practical, program‑health metrics that help you see whether a program is functioning effectively.

Core metrics:

• Engagement (meeting frequency, participation rates)

• Goal completion

• Resource usage

• Participant satisfaction

• Retention of mentors & mentees

These metrics help you identify blind spots, strengths, and whether the program is aligned with its goals.

Another evidence‑based approach is to measure both activity and impact.

Engagement metrics:

• Number of matches

• Meeting consistency

• Program completion rates

Mentee development metrics:

• Progress toward goals

• Skill growth

• Confidence and self‑advocacy

These indicators reveal whether the program is actually helping youth grow.

Widely used in training and mentoring evaluation.

Four levels:

1. Reaction – Did participants find the program valuable?

2. Learning – Did they gain skills or knowledge?

3. Behavior – Are they applying what they learned?

4. Results – Did the program achieve its intended outcomes?

This model is especially useful when comparing multiple programs because it creates a consistent evaluation structure.