scholarly journals It’s About Time: Staff Support Contacts and Mentor Volunteer Experiences

2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas E. Keller ◽  
Alison L. Drew ◽  
Hyuny Clark-Shim ◽  
Renée Spencer ◽  
Carla Herrera

Formal youth mentoring programs typically rely on volunteers to serve as mentors to young people, with training and guidance from agency staff. A fundamental program practice is to provide ongoing support and supervision to volunteer mentors by engaging in regular contact to monitor the progress of the mentoring relationship and offer guidance and encouragement. Using data from mentors (n = 504) in multiple mentoring programs (n = 55), the current study investigated how the amount of time devoted to these match support contacts was associated with mentor perceptions regarding the nature of their volunteer experience, specifically: the quality of supervision received, the mentoring agency’s organizational culture with respect to engaging volunteers, and satisfaction with their volunteer service experience. Mentors who had no staff support contacts gave the lowest ratings for quality of supervision, organizational culture, and service experience. Further, mentors who typically had the shortest support contacts (1 to 5 minutes) reported lower quality supervision, organizational culture, and service experience compared to mentors with longer support contacts. In most cases, the associations between staff support contact length and mentor-reported outcomes remained significant after controlling for the helpfulness of the support contacts and the frequency of using advice suggested during the contacts. These findings provide evidence that match support contacts are an important practice for youth mentoring programs and suggest that programs should encourage staff to spend time engaging in meaningful conversations beyond quick check-ins. Future research should examine how the content of support contacts influences volunteer mentoring experiences.

2014 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francois Duhamel ◽  
Isis Gutiérrez-Martínez ◽  
Sergio Picazo-Vela ◽  
Luis Luna-Reyes

Purpose – The purpose of this article is to propose a theoretical model explaining information technology outsourcing performance in the public sector as well as a set of empirically testable propositions to improve the understanding of key determinants of success. Design/methodology/approach – Based on Fountain ' s technology enactment framework, the authors integrated inter-organizational factors, such as trust, knowledge sharing, and quality of outsourcing interfaces, in the model and added organizational culture alignment between service providers and public administration to enhance Fountain ' s original framework. Findings – The authors proposed 17 empirically testable propositions to establish the relationships between key variables in IT outsourcing projects in the public sector. Research limitations/implications – The proposed model provides guidance for future research aimed at advancing knowledge of IT outsourcing. Originality/value – The contribution lies in the development of specific variables, such as trust, knowledge, and organizational culture, which are related to building an outsourcing relationship and are used as determinants of the quality of organizational interfaces between public bureaucracies and IT outsourcing providers.


2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 371-391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ewa Gołębiowska

Since its democratic revolution was set in motion, Poland has enjoyed tremendous progress in its degree of democratic consolidation. For example, significant institutional changes have taken place in the status of Poland's ethnic, national, and religious minorities. Yet, institutional protections alone do not fully capture the extent of openness to diversity. More comprehensive depictions of the quality of democracy need to encompass investigations of the democratic citizens' “hearts and minds.” In this article, using data from a recent nationally representative survey, the author examines the extent and sources of Poles' tolerance of ethnic and religious difference. She focuses on social tolerance of difference, using questions about acceptance of interethnic and interreligious marriage as the dependent variables. As part of the inquiry, the author compares and contrasts the levels and sources of tolerance of interreligious marriage over time and discusses the political implications of the findings and future research directions.


2018 ◽  
Vol 51 (7) ◽  
pp. 900-914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin M. Preston ◽  
Òscar Prieto-Flores ◽  
Jean E. Rhodes

Most of the existing body of research on formal youth mentoring has focused on programs in the United States, with few inquiries into how mentoring programs have taken shape in other contexts. In this article, we compare and contrast programs in the United States and continental Europe to investigate how context shapes the ways in which programs are conceived and implemented. Concerns about inequality and delinquency have been major drivers of program expansion in the United States, while concerns about the influx of migrants into linguistically and culturally homogeneous communities have fostered the expansion of programs in continental Europe. Through a series of program comparisons, we explored differences in volunteer characteristics, target populations, and how programs and benefits are construed. Implications for implementation and future research across both contexts are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 5-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Muzamil Naqshbandi ◽  
Yehia Kamel

Using data collected from middle and top managers working across different industries in the United Arab Emirates, this article examines the relationship between two contrasting organizational culture types and two types of open innovation (OI). It also takes into account the mediating role of realized absorptive capacity in these relationships. Results obtained using several statistical techniques show that a highly integrative culture relates positively, while a hierarchy culture relates negatively to the two types of OI. Results also establish the mediating role of realized absorptive capacity in these relationships. These findings contribute theoretically to OI and organizational culture literature and provide insights for practitioners on how to succeed or avoid failure in their OI initiatives. A discussion of the findings, along with limitations of the study and future research directions, is given.


Author(s):  
Sasa Wang ◽  
Xueyan Yang ◽  
Lisa Eklund

AbstractIn rural China, marriage-squeezed men are more likely to experience discrimination than other males. Using data collected from Anhui Province in China on marriage-squeezed men’s quality of life, this study examines the influence of discrimination on the quality of life and the buffering effect of social support among this cohort. The results show that discrimination is a strong stressor, and its negative consequences on marriage-squeezed men’s quality of life are difficult to eliminate, with social support having a limited buffering effect. Meanwhile, structural support and functional support had different functions on quality of life of marriage-squeezed men experiencing discrimination. Whereas structural support had no significant main effect on quality of life, interaction with relatives and neighbors had a buffering effect on the relationship between discrimination and quality of life. In contrast, functional support, particularly from family members, relatives, and neighbors, had positive main effects on quality of life; however, no buffering effect was observed. The findings affirm that discrimination must be addressed as an independent and important factor. Promoting marriage-squeezed men’s social ties outside the family can reduce the damaging effect of discrimination, while future research needs to seek other protective resources to maintain the men’s quality of life.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 274-283 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth Yasemin Erol ◽  
Ulrich Orth

Abstract. The relation between self-esteem and romantic relationships has been the focus of many research studies. In this article, we review theoretical perspectives and available evidence on (a) the effect of people’s self-esteem on the quality of their romantic relationships, (b) the effect of self-esteem similarity between partners on relationship quality, and (c) the psychological mechanisms that might account for the link between self-esteem and relationship quality. Overall, the evidence suggests that high self-esteem is beneficial in romantic relationships. Furthermore, research using data from both partners of couples suggests that high self-esteem has a positive effect also on the partner’s happiness with the relationship. However, research indicates that the degree of self-esteem similarity between partners does not influence the couple’s relationship satisfaction. Although evidence suggests that perceived regard and secure attachment between the partners explains why self-esteem is beneficial in romantic relationships, future research is needed to examine in more detail the mechanisms through which self-esteem contributes to a happy relationship.


2020 ◽  
pp. 136749352093345
Author(s):  
Victoria L Phillips ◽  
Xin Hu

Efforts to improve the quality of care for children have focused on the patient-centered medical home (PCMH), defined by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Little research has focused on caregivers’ role in choosing physicians for children. This study aims to determine whether healthy caregiving behaviors and specific behaviors are associated with children’s receipt of PCMH care. Using data from the 2016–2017 National Survey of Children’s Health, which includes information on child-rearing behaviors, we estimated logistic regressions, controlling for children’s and caregivers’ characteristics, to quantify possible associations. We found that each additional healthy child-rearing practice followed increased a child’s chance of receiving PCMH care by 4.5% ( p < 0.001). Being breastfed (children aged 0–5 years), sharing ideas with their caregiver (children aged 6–17 years), their caregiver ensuring homework is finished (children aged 6–17 years), and having TV time monitored (all ages), each increased the likelihood of PCMH use. These findings show that caregiving behavior is independently associated with locus of care. Future research is warranted as educating caregivers about healthy child-rearing may lead them to seek higher quality care for their children. Also, evaluating the effect of behaviors on health outcomes associated with PCMH would be valuable.


Faculty is a major stakeholder in an education institute. Quality of faculty reflects the quality of youth, the future nation builders. Based on the vision of honorable management, an attempt has been made to gather the feedback of faculty reflecting their current state of work. Data have been collected initially via open-ended questionnaire. Faculties serving renowned institutes in the states of Punjab and Haryana have been approached to gather information. Attributes have been identified from the literature review and using an appropriate measurement scale. Only the willing respondents and their responses have been taken into consideration. The responses gathered using 5-point Likert-Scale was then factor analyzed. The attributes converged mainly on six dimensions- recognition, sense of belongingness, working environment, basic need fulfillment, self-respect, and contribution to society. These dimensions have been discussed keeping in view the current scenario in the education sector. The study also provides insights into future research.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 2097-2108
Author(s):  
Robyn L. Croft ◽  
Courtney T. Byrd

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify levels of self-compassion in adults who do and do not stutter and to determine whether self-compassion predicts the impact of stuttering on quality of life in adults who stutter. Method Participants included 140 adults who do and do not stutter matched for age and gender. All participants completed the Self-Compassion Scale. Adults who stutter also completed the Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering. Data were analyzed for self-compassion differences between and within adults who do and do not stutter and to predict self-compassion on quality of life in adults who stutter. Results Adults who do and do not stutter exhibited no significant differences in total self-compassion, regardless of participant gender. A simple linear regression of the total self-compassion score and total Overall Assessment of the Speaker's Experience of Stuttering score showed a significant, negative linear relationship of self-compassion predicting the impact of stuttering on quality of life. Conclusions Data suggest that higher levels of self-kindness, mindfulness, and social connectedness (i.e., self-compassion) are related to reduced negative reactions to stuttering, an increased participation in daily communication situations, and an improved overall quality of life. Future research should replicate current findings and identify moderators of the self-compassion–quality of life relationship.


2016 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-86 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Meessen ◽  
Verena Mainz ◽  
Siegfried Gauggel ◽  
Eftychia Volz-Sidiropoulou ◽  
Stefan Sütterlin ◽  
...  

Abstract. Recently, Garfinkel and Critchley (2013) proposed to distinguish between three facets of interoception: interoceptive sensibility, interoceptive accuracy, and interoceptive awareness. This pilot study investigated how these facets interrelate to each other and whether interoceptive awareness is related to the metacognitive awareness of memory performance. A sample of 24 healthy students completed a heartbeat perception task (HPT) and a memory task. Judgments of confidence were requested for each task. Participants filled in questionnaires assessing interoceptive sensibility, depression, anxiety, and socio-demographic characteristics. The three facets of interoception were found to be uncorrelated and interoceptive awareness was not related to metacognitive awareness of memory performance. Whereas memory performance was significantly related to metamemory awareness, interoceptive accuracy (HPT) and interoceptive awareness were not correlated. Results suggest that future research on interoception should assess all facets of interoception in order to capture the multifaceted quality of the construct.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document