ENCOUNTER:Experiences of Youth in Natural Mentoring Relationships

Natural mentoring relationships (NMRs) can positively affect children’s cognitive and socio-emotional development, well-being, and authentic agency. In addition, NMRs contribute to the intergenerational dialogue and social cohesion in EUs societies, that is, to the current priorities of the EU Council’s youth policy. Though formal youth mentoring interventions (FYM) that aim to foster the benefits of NMRs for socially disadvantaged youths are modelled on NMRs, there is a gap in knowledge on the dynamics and benefits of NMRs experienced in the general population of young adolescents (12-15 years) in the EU. Besides, despite the recognised benefits of NMRs, no mentoring programmes target the empowerment of youths in mentoring skills in the general population. Building on my previous experience and research on youth mentoring, the ENCOUNTER aims to examine the NMRs in the experiences of young adolescents in the EU context, using the exploratory qualitative research design that draws on phenomenological interviews and visual participatory methods (PhotoVoice), and focusing on three main objectives:

1.

• RO1: To examine the characteristics, dynamics, and perceived benefits of the natural mentoring relationships experienced by young adolescents in an EU context
• RO2: To conceptualise the theoretical, interdisciplinary youth-centred framework on natural mentoring phenomena by reviewing the relevant theories on youth’s development across disciplines, and research literature on NMRs.
• RO3: To contrast the functions, characteristics, and dynamics of NMRs among gender; and the features of NMRs experienced by young adolescents in the CZ and in an international context. methodological approaches in the field, enabling interdisciplinary conceptualization of natural mentoring phenomena, and addressing UN SDG Goals 2030 and EU’s Youth Sector Strategy 2030. ENCOUNTER will expand research, theory, and practice in the field in the EU context by implementing novel.

2.

Project ENCOUNTER is implemented between October 2021 – September 2023

3.

4 BA students and 1 MA student are trained in the research methods, theory of children’s and youths studies, participatory and qualitative research design and in overall research and academic skills within their research projects on the ENCOUNTER themes. Two BA students act as research assistants with active participation in the presentation of ENCOUNTER results in academic outlets.

4.

Future PhD. candidates who would like to implement the same research design on an exploration of experiences of youths in natural mentoring relationships in another country in the EU and outside as part of the ENCOUNTER International – an extension of the current MSCA IF Project in cooperation with international partners (preferably in disciplines of Social Sciences, Education, Children and Youths Studies, Social Work and Applied Social Sciences, Social Psychology or similar) can contact the ENCOUNTER PI: tereza.brumovska@fhs.cuni.cz to discuss PhD. funding options.

Scientific area

Social psychology, Applied social sciences, Sociology of Childhood, Youths Studies

Research projects

• project Horizon 2020: Marie Sklodowska Curie Individual Fellowship (H2020-MSCA-IF-ST-2020)
• project no. 101027291 ENCOUNTER: Experiences of Youths in Natural Mentoring Relationships

Staff

Dr. Tereza Javornicky Brumovska, MSCA IF Research Fellow

Contact

Dr. Tereza Javornicky Brumovska
Faculty of Humanities
tereza.brumovska@fhs.cuni.cz

More information

https://encounter.mentoring.cuni.cz/FHSE-1.html