How is iMentor different from other mentoring programs?
One of the key differences between the iMentor model and traditional mentoring programs is: iMentor enrolls mentees who would not self-select for mentoring. iMentor believes the youth who need mentoring the most are the least likely to opt into formal mentoring programs. iMentor reaches these youth by partnering with high schools and after-school programs around New York City and enrolling cohorts of mentees (for example, an entire junior class). Another way that iMentor differs from other mentoring programs is that it adds flexibility to the volunteer commitment. iMentor believes that the traditional mentoring model–where the mentor must travel to the mentee’s home community once a week–rules out thousands of potential mentors. These volunteers have the time to be quality mentors (iMentor’s volunteers give 4-6 hours per month) but cannot commit to meeting their mentee, “every Tuesday at 4PM.” By incorporating a structured email component into the mentoring program, iMentor allows a
