Match Closure Analysis

Today’s Agenda

• Benefits

• Beginning analysis

• Early match closure

• Approach to analysis

• Trends

• Using the results

• Resources

• Questions

What is match closure analysis?

Analysis: a separation of a whole into its component parts. (Webster)

We’ll be looking at one way to take your closed matches and review the component parts of that match.

Why should we consider match closure analysis?

• Longer, stronger matches = more positive youth outcomes

• Taking notice when things do not go well• Matching youth & adults from different

backgrounds• Important lessons for our programs• Helps us to build programs that promote

high-quality youth mentoring relationships• Identify preventable match closures• Preserve valuable resources – your mentors

Direct Benefit for Your Program

Impact

• Positive outcomes for the child

• Reduction in cost of churn

• Match retention serves as a cost -effective strategy for agency leadership to leverage in this economic environment

Even a mistake may turn out to be the one thing necessary

to a worthwhile achievement.

~Anonymous

Where should we begin?

• Have a system for tracking match closures– Closure reasons– Identify who initiated closing– Length of the match– Type of match (SB vs. CB)

• If SB – specific location

– Source of youth– Source of volunteers– Program staff

• Trends in your closed matches• Trends in your pre-mature closed matches

Tracking Closure Reasons• Predictable

• Unpredictable

• Use of more than one closure reason

• Some reasons to track– Expectations– Time– Move– Lost contact

Early Match Closure

Identify early match closure for your programRecommend setting a goal to review 100% early

match closures

• Data from the field– Relationships that end within the first three months

may have the potential to do harm (Grossman & Rhodes, 2002)

– 1:5 community based matches end before 6 months

– Premature match closure can result in negative outcomes for mentees

• decreased confidence in themselves • decreased scholastic abilities

Next level in analysis

• Start small if you have to• How many and which files

– Pre-mature closures– Other match closures

• Pull your records - volunteer, youth & match files

• Look at everything• Take notes on items that stand out or

fit with the reason for match closure

Recruitment

Explore

• Mentor sources

• Mentee referral source

• Other reasons tied to sources

• Messaging

• Portrait of youth served

• Recruitment personnel

Inquiry/interest

Explore

• Messaging

• Participant expectations

• Follow up by your program

• Length of time for participant

• Challenges in this stage

• Questions/concerns noted

Orientation

Explore

• Attendance

• Observational notes

• Expectations clarified

• Questions/concerns expressed

• Content

Interview/enrollment/screeningExplore• Screening checklist• Length of time for participant• Challenges in this stage• Questions/concerns expressed• Review the content

– Application– References– Back ground checks– Interview questions/staff notes– Stated match preferences– Strengths of mentor– Needs of mentee– Other

Matching

Explore• Matching process• Challenges in this stage• Questions/concerns expressed• Review the rationale for matching

– Match preferences– Identified mentor strengths– Identified mentee needs– Proximity consideration– Availability considerations– Fit – interests, personalities, values, cultural

Match support/supervision

Explore• Early signs in match support notes• Initial match support contact• Unresolved concerns• Frequency of match meetings• Focus of the match activities - social or

prescriptive?• Resources provided by program• Match goals

Match Closure

Explore• Match closure reason

– Stated reasons– Identified reasons– External factors

• Options explored to save the match• Inclusive discussion• Unresolved concerns• Surveys or outcome data

Finding the Trends in Your Analysis

• Closure data – reviewing multiple matches– Closure reasons– Matches closing at a certain time– If SB - location

• File review - reviewing specific matches– What stands out– Similarities in the mentors– Similarities in the youth– Enough training or match support/supervision– Preventable closures

Trends that have been found

• Abandonment & Lack of Interest• Unfulfilled Expectations• Deficiencies in Mentors’ Relational

Skills• Family Interference• Lack of Agency Support

(Spencer 2007)

Trends that I have found

• Recruitment & referral sources• Participant expectations• Messaging• Match preferences• And more match preferences• Interview questions• Match support• Approach to match closure• Staff• Program elements

What Now

• You have some of the answers now for preventable closures

• Communicate findings– Safe setting– Leave staff specific trends to personal

discussions

• Use these trends to explore tweaks in your program/process/policies with your team

• Create an action plan to implement• Celebrate those matches that are

“successful endings”

Resources:

Northwest Regional Education Laboratory – National Mentoring Center– Overcoming Relationship Pitfalls, Fact Sheet

educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/250

– Avoiding Early Match Termination, Fact Sheet

educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/287

– Going the Distance – A Guide to Building Lasting Relationships

educationnorthwest.org/webfm_send/166

Public/Private Ventures

– Same Race and Cross Race Matching, TA Packet

ppv.org/ppv/publications/assets/26_publication.pdf

Resources: MENTOR

• Elements of Effective Practice Toolkit– www.mentoring.org– Forms, checklists, sample documents,

additional articles, etc

• Research in Action SeriesIssue 5: Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End

mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_386.pdf

Now What?

• Bring this information back to YOUR mentoring program– How can you begin to conduct a match

closure analysis to explore your preventable match closures?

• Mentor Michigan Website – www.mentormichigan.org– Handouts, resources, related websites– Webinars on a variety of topics

Questions or Comments?