From his own analyses of the research on youth-mentoring programs, David L. DuBois has identified seven features鈥攖he 鈥渟even C鈥檚鈥濃�攐f effective youth-mentoring relationships.
鈥� Compatibility: Mentors and young people ought to be compatible in basic personality, but they need neither be close in age nor matched by race or ethnicity.
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鈥� Capability: Mentors are most effective when they already have experience working with young people and are sensitive to the socioeconomic challenges students face at home.
鈥� Consistency: It鈥檚 important for mentorship pairs to meet regularly.
鈥� Continuity: Mentorships must be long-lasting鈥攁t least a year, according to some studies.
鈥� Closeness: Forming an emotional bond is critical to the success of the relationship.
鈥� Centeredness: Though they require some structure, relationships should be centered on the young person鈥檚 developmental needs.
鈥� Connectedness: Mentors are more successful when they connect with parents or other key figures in a young person鈥檚 life.
