Search Results (28)

Background/Objectives: In contemporary nursing education, clinical competence and psychological resilience are both essential; however, they are often treated as separate outcomes. Clinical placements are a central component of nursing education, and often expose students to high levels of stress, emotional challenges, and complex clinical demands. Building both clinical competence and psychological resilience during this phase is crucial to preparing students for the realities of professional practice. This narrative review, grounded in Bandura’s social cognitive theory (SCT), explores how educator behaviors, teaching strategies, and learning environments interact to influence both domains in undergraduate nursing students. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 2000 and 2 May 2025. Relevant studies were thematically analyzed and were guided by Bandura’s SCT constructs, including observational learning, self-efficacy, and reciprocal determinism. No formal study appraisal was conducted due to the narrative nature of the review. Findings: Nineteen studies were included in the review. The findings highlight that reflective practices, structured feedback, peer learning, and strategies to build self-efficacy are central to building resilience and competence. Supportive educator behaviors such as mentoring, emotional support, and professional role modeling, were strongly associated with increased student confidence, emotional regulation, and adaptability. Psychologically safe clinical learning environments further enhanced self-efficacy and active engagement. In contrast, unsupportive or inconsistent environments were linked to student stress, disengagement, and reduced performance. Conclusions: This review highlights the need to move beyond traditional competency-based models toward an integrated approach that equally values psychological preparedness and resilience. Findings suggest a shift toward emotionally and socially integrated clinical education. Full article

In a climate of pervasive teacher shortages, initiatives have focused on attracting new teachers to the profession, with hardest-to-staff schools more likely to fill vacancies with early-career teachers, including those with conditional status. In Australia, workforce policy prioritises induction and mentoring to support transition to the profession and improve retention. This paper aims to understand mentor teacher experiences in hardest-to-staff schools, where a growing cohort of inexperienced teachers increases the need for mentoring. The analysis is based on data from semi-structured interviews conducted with teachers in six schools across two Australian states, as part of a larger project exploring work experiences of teachers in hardest-to-staff schools. In addition to formal mentoring, our findings illustrate that in these schools, informal and incidental mentoring is widespread. Further, the iterative nature of novice teacher induction creates a sense of ambivalence in longer-serving teachers. While experienced teachers find reward in supporting early-career colleagues, the hidden labour inherent to constant incidental mentoring encroaches on the time available to manage their own workload, sometimes leading to frustration and even resentment. We conclude that while mentoring is crucial with so many new entrants to the profession, policymakers should be aware of the labour associated with increased incidental mentoring to avoid unintended consequences for teachers who find themselves in the position of supporting growing numbers of new staff. Full article

This study investigates the integration of youth work into school environments as a response to contemporary educational challenges. Drawing on the implementation of selected best practices in four European countries—Greece, Finland, Estonia, and Portugal—within the framework of the Youth Work in Schools (YWIS) Erasmus+ project, this research explores the potential of youth work to enhance school communities, promote sustainability, support student well-being, and deepen democratic practices. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines case studies and survey data from educators and youth workers, the study examines the transformative impact of youth work in promoting inclusive, engaged, and resilient educational settings. Preliminary findings indicate that youth work contributes meaningfully to holistic youth development by creating collaborative school cultures, supporting emotional and social well-being, and encouraging active civic participation. Youth workers’ interventions—ranging from peer mentoring and participatory governance to sustainability initiatives—demonstrated the value of experiential, student-centred learning. However, the sustainable integration of youth work in education requires institutional openness, professional recognition, and systemic support. By analysing the reflections of practitioners across diverse national contexts, this paper offers critical insights for policymakers, educators, and practitioners aiming to bridge the gap between formal and non-formal education. It argues that embedding youth work in schools can serve as a catalyst for educational transformation, cultivating more democratic, sustainable, and supportive learning environments. Full article

This study explores the predictive factors influencing sport coaches’ perceived performance levels following an 18-month mentor-based education program. The study employed a quasi-experimental, pre-test/post-test control group design to assess changes in perceived coach performance over time. The experimental group participated in six group gatherings and at least 15 individual mentoring sessions over 18 months, while the control group received no intervention. Participants were recruited from a non-formal coach education program run by the Norwegian Olympic Sports Center (NOSC), requiring recommendations from their respective sport federations. Of the 159 coaches who applied, 73 were selected for the program and invited to participate, along with 29 additional coaches from specialized high schools for elite sports, forming a total sample of 98 coaches (69 in the experimental group, 29 in the control group) at pre-test. The sample consisted of 61 males (62%) and 37 females (38%), aged 26 to 71 years (M = 38.3, SD = 8.3), representing over 20 sports, with handball (15.3%), cross-country skiing (10.2%), soccer (7.1%), and track and field (7.1%) being the most common. Data collection included an online questionnaire measuring perceived coach performance, coaching hours, age, and dimensions of the coach–athlete working alliance (task, bond, and goal development). After 18 months, 75 coaches completed the study, yielding a response rate of 73.5%. Hierarchical regression analyses revealed that coaches’ ages, weekly coaching hours, baseline perceived performance, and task development within the coach–athlete working alliance positively predicted their performance perception post-test. Participation in the mentor-based program also had a significant positive effect. However, neither bond nor goal development in the working alliance predicted performance perception. These findings underscore the importance of mentoring, structured self-reflection, and task-focused coaching strategies in enhancing coaching effectiveness. The results have implications for coach education programs seeking to foster professional growth and performance development. Full article

Caregivers of children with chronic conditions face daily challenges and a lower quality of life, which may be improved through peer support. This scoping review explored the literature on formal caregiver-to-caregiver mentorship programs, identifying strategies to inform future programs. Using Arskey and O’Malley’s framework, we searched five databases for peer-reviewed literature on caregiver-to-caregiver mentorship programs for adult caregivers caring for children (≤18 years) with chronic conditions. Thematic analysis was performed on relevant articles. Of the 10 064 search hits, 109 were included after full-text screening. Theme 1, “Mentorship adds to medical support”, reflected how mentorship can complement medical care provided by healthcare teams. Theme 2, “Successful mentorship requires the right mentors”, highlighted the qualities of mentors crucial for effective mentorship, mentor-matching practices, and training areas for mentors. Theme 3, “Mentorship programs should balance structure and flexibility”, emphasized the importance of allowing for flexibility to accommodate diverse family needs. Theme 4, “Mentorship programs face common challenges”, summarized the challenges frequently faced when implementing mentorship programs. The study findings suggest that the success of mentorship programs hinge on factors including a flexible program structure, knowledgeable and dedicated mentors, and an infrastructure in place for supporting both the mentors and the financial needs of the program. Full article

The underrepresentation of women in science fields limits their potential in solving current global challenges. As a lighthouse to close this gender gap, role models are crucial for girls to build their science identity, even in their early years. Therefore, we describe a combined mentoring intervention taking place during scientific summer camps for girls. In these camps, young girls lived for a week undertaking an intensive program conducting cutting-edge research and in close contact with female mentors and other girls within a community of practice. They were mentored in small groups, but there were also chances for participating in talks, entrepreneurial workshops, and social activities all together. On the last day, the girls presented their research results, sharing their perceptions about the camp and their concerns regarding the role of women in science in an open-door final conference. By means of a mixed-method assessment conceptualization, the aim of this study is to provide evidence supporting the impact of non-formal education settings to effectively enhance girls’ science potential by using inspiring female scientists acting as mentors and role models. Furthermore, the study intends to shed light on what were regarded to be the key factors of the camp design that had such an impact on the participating girls. In particular, the findings demonstrate that the participating girls improved their attitudes towards STEM after the camp, highlighting how role models, in several roles, were key to empowering them in science through the building of a gender-responsive and inclusive community. Finally, the paper also discusses the key elements of the intervention based on the lessons learned and its transferability to different educational contexts in order to expand the beneficial effects of a gender-sensitive science education to build an inclusive future. Full article

Studies on talent development show that attaining expertise relies on long-term active engagement with a domain. Mentoring plays a key role in this, but it usually takes place outside of school in informal mentoring relationships, and research on formal school-based talent development mentoring programs is lacking. In the present research, we examined which factors in a novel school-based Learning Pathway Mentoring program hinder mentees’ active engagement with their domain. Due to a lack of corresponding research, we employed an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design (QUAL → quan). We first explored factors affecting mentees’ engagement from the perspective of 55 mentors in the Learning Pathway Mentoring program. The results of these qualitative analyses served to derive research questions about variables associated with decreased mentee domain activity, which we then studied in auxiliary quantitative analyses based on a sample of 48 mentees of the same program. Our combined analyses suggest that reasons for decreased mentee engagement may, in fact, be very heterogeneous and nuanced. As talent development places a significant demand on mentees in terms of extracurricular engagement, difficulties might occur specifically when mentees are expected to set priorities regarding the implementation of learning activities in their talent domain and simultaneously meet increasing school demands. Full article

This paper will focus on illustrating through qualitative personal narratives the lived realities of three South Asian Indian women in academia across the continuum of their experiences personally, professionally, and as academics within the field of Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT). The authors will speak to their South Asian identity, their acculturation experiences as Asian Indian women in the US professional and academic context, their different generational experiences in immigration journeys, their different academic and clinical journeys, and other contextual variables such as age, solidarity with other South Asian women in academia, peer mentorship experiences, and finding their own voices and empowerment through connections with other women with similar experiences. In addition to the lack of formal academic mentorship, the authors will describe how they as South Asian Indian women have grappled with the challenges of systemic gender and racial biases that undermined their development as academics and hindered their progress toward gender and racial equality in academic and clinical settings. The authors will situate their personal narratives within the frameworks of feminist solidarity and social justice through describing their mentorship experiences, as mentors and mentees, and how they still were able to establish their professional identities as professional, academic, South Asian women of color. Full article

Mentoring can positively influence the mentee, the mentor, and the organization in which both are employed. Mentoring can help employees to overcome workplace challenges, including barriers to advancement, while increasing job satisfaction, enhancing career development, and producing a greater sense of value within the organization, often leading to increased productivity. While mentoring clearly has a multitude of benefits, women have traditionally had difficulty establishing mentorships in the workplace, which appear especially problematic in traditionally male-dominated careers, such as corrections. Based on surveys and interviews with members of the Association of Women Executives in Corrections (AWEC), this study investigates the role of mentorship in women’s advancement within corrections departments. Data show that support, particularly from one’s supervisor, is critical as women consider advancement, regardless of the supervisor’s gender. These results imply that when there are few women in the administrative ranks, limiting the opportunity for female mentorship, women can find equally effective mentorship from male superiors. Moreover, mentorships do not necessarily have to be formalized to be effective and can develop from outside one’s department when none exist within. Corrections agencies interested in diversifying their administrative ranks should plan to establish more opportunities to foster mentoring relationships, which would benefit all employees. Full article

This qualitative study explores the support systems that foster resilience and success among novice teachers in diverse sociocultural contexts within Israeli teacher training colleges. Semistructured interviews were conducted with a sample of 51 novice teachers from various educational backgrounds. The findings reveal a complex network of support encompassing formal institutional structures, such as mentorship programs and induction workshops, as well as informal networks of familial support and cultural connections. Utilizing a holistic framework that integrates social support theory, social connection theory, and self-determination theory, the study highlights the interplay between external support and novice teachers’ intrinsic motivations, which drive their pursuit of autonomy, competence, and relatedness. The key findings underscore the crucial role of comprehensive induction and mentoring programs that address novice teachers’ emotional, psychological, and professional needs. These programs should provide emotional support, opportunities for collaboration and peer learning, and personalized guidance from experienced mentors. The study also emphasizes the significance of supportive school cultures, meaningful mentoring relationships, and the strength of informal support networks in promoting novice teachers’ well-being and effectiveness. The implications of this research are far-reaching, offering valuable insights for the global educational community on developing supportive ecosystems that enhance novice teachers’ resilience, job satisfaction, and retention rates. By articulating the essential role of both formal and informal support systems, this study contributes significantly to the discourse on teacher education and addresses a crucial gap in the literature on support mechanisms across diverse educational settings. Full article

Although there are multiple efforts to increase gender equality in the forest sector, women are still underrepresented in the forest sector workforce, even more so in top leadership of forest sector companies. This underrepresentation is also found in higher education, and many forestry undergraduate programs still struggle to matriculate and graduate women. A way to attract and retain women is through mentoring and networking. Utilizing interviews, we found that it is quite challenging to find a woman mentor/role model in the forest sector because women are still underrepresented. To find a good mentor, young women are encouraged to be proactive in utilizing different channels, both formal and informal. When it comes to gender, our respondents emphasize the different benefits of having a woman vs. man as a mentor. In a men-dominated field such as the forest sector, women mentors enhance social belonging, confidence, and motivation in relatively alienating environments due to “been there-done that” experiences. Same-gender role models might also protect women from negative stereotypes and show how women can advance despite existing gendered barriers. Full article

In university settings, peer support brings people together based on their student identity. Peer support has been advocated as an innovative intervention to aid student mental health and wellbeing as part of a whole university approach, especially post-pandemic when student support is critical. While the literature describes three types of university peer support for student mental health and wellbeing, peer-led support groups, peer mentoring, and peer learning, the sector lacks agreed definitions for these interventions. Formal reporting on peer support initiatives is rare, suggesting further types of peer support practice may exist. This qualitative study, comprising semi-structured interviews with 16 university staff members at 14 different institutions, aimed to generate comprehensive definitions of the types of peer support used in the sector through template analysis. The study also sought to understand the current practice, experiences, and challenges around implementing peer support interventions for undergraduate and postgraduate students’ mental health and wellbeing from the perspective of the staff who support and coordinate these programmes. Five types of peer support were identified and defined. In addition, the challenges of engagement, resource and capacity, and evaluation were highlighted. Finally, lessons learnt provided potential ways to address the challenges outlined and provided sector guidance for further developing peer support as part of a whole university approach to student mental health and wellbeing. Full article

As the number of inclusive postsecondary education (IPSE) programs in the United States increases, a greater number of young adults with an intellectual disability (ID) are attending college. To ensure students with IDs have the same opportunity to succeed in the postsecondary education environment as their peers without disabilities, it is critical that research is conducted to explore the support mechanisms that contribute to successful outcomes for this population. To address existing gaps in the literature, the present study involved a qualitative investigation of the experiences of faculty and staff mentors who formally mentored students with ID over the course of one academic year. Four themes provided unique insights into (1) the activities that were undertaken by faculty and staff mentors to help students meet their academic, employment, independent living, and personal development goals; (2) common challenge areas related to the mentoring program and dyad partnerships; (3) areas of student growth; and, finally, (4) how impactful the mentoring experience was for faculty and staff mentors. By providing a timely and novel contribution to the mentoring literature, the findings from this study can inform the development of mentoring programs within IPSE settings that will promote positive postsecondary outcomes for students with IDs. Full article

The core purpose of Youth-Initiated Mentoring (YIM) is to adopt a more collaborative approach to mentoring by inviting youth to nominate and select their own mentors. This article performs a scoping review of research on YIM to identify common methodologies and emerging evidence from available studies. Six online research databases were used to identify peer-reviewed academic articles published in English. No date restrictions were applied. In total, nine peer-reviewed articles were identified and reviewed. The main findings from these studies indicate that collaborating with youth during the mentor nomination process offers several benefits to youth in mentoring relationships. Based on the knowledge gained from this scoping review, a secondary purpose of this article is to encourage researchers to adopt a more participatory approach to their future investigations of YIM. Despite YIM’s recent exploration into more collaborative approaches to practice, the model has yet to fully embrace more collaborative approaches to research. To address this limitation, this article begins a productive dialogue between YIM and Community-Based Participatory Research. Specifically, this article reviews four of the principles within Community-Based Participatory Research and surfaces helpful strategies that researchers can use to begin celebrating the local knowledge and expertise of youth and their communities. Full article

Research shows that mentorship can significantly influence the lives of youth. As a society we are becoming more diverse and aware that cultural needs for youth of color are more complex. We have seen an increase in formal mentoring programs that offer services to Black youth. As this shift continues, it is imperative that culturally responsive services are considered. Little research exists that explores the importance of family engagement within the mentor–mentee relationship. When working with Black youth, it is important to understand cultural practices found within the Black family that could have an influence on the mentor–mentee relationship. This study uses qualitative inquiry to explore the perspectives of 12 Black adolescents, ages 14–18, participating in a youth mentoring program. Through individual interviews, the participants described their experiences and observations of their mentor’s engagement with their family/caregiver. Findings suggest that Black youth value a genuine connection between their mentor and family/caregiver, they often assign a familial role to their mentor, and they adhere to cultural practices observed within the Black family. These results have implications for culturally responsive practices for youth mentoring programs to incorporate when working with Black youth and families. Full article