Building assets together: a toolkit for youth mentors

The National Institute of Mental Health awarded Innovation Research And Training, Inc. $314,362 on September 1, 2026, under the Mental Health Research Grants program (CFDA 93.242) to develop the Building Assets Together (BAT) toolkit, a web-based microlearning resource designed to train youth mentors in establishing effective mentoring relationships.

The recipient will develop interactive, multimedia-rich, asynchronous learning content delivered through an enhanced Mentoring Central learning management system. The toolkit addresses the need for structured guidance to mentors, who typically volunteer and lack formal training in evidence-based mentoring practices. Software enhancements will enable mentoring program staff to deploy toolkit content on customized schedules and allow mentors to access materials across all devices, improving accessibility and adoption. The toolkit targets the approximately 4.5 million young people in community-based mentoring relationships in the United States, as well as those in school and site-based programs.

Innovation Research And Training, Inc., a woman-owned small business based in Durham, North Carolina, specializes in developing research-driven, web-based training and intervention programs in health, education, and social services, with particular expertise in youth development and mentoring.

The project runs through August 31, 2027, with performance at the recipient's Durham, North Carolina location. This is assistance classified as a Project Grant.

Abstract

Loneliness, social isolation, and mental health problems are widely affecting young people in the united states. Mentoring, a relationship between and adult or older youth with a young person that provides benefits to the young person, is one strategy for addressing these public health issues. In the U.S., approximately 4.5 million young people participate in community-based mentoring relationships. Many more participate in school or site-based mentoring relationships. Mentors are typically a volunteer workforce of individuals who function as a socialization partner, with similar mechanisms of influence on child development as that of parents, peers, teachers, and coaches. However, mentors have unique role and boundary considerations during their interactions with mentees that put both constraints on their behaviors as well as allow for unique opportunities for influence. Mentors need guidance on what skills and behaviors they should implement during their day-to- day interactions with their mentees that are effective in strategically promoting positive goals and outcomes for mentees. The most effective mentoring programs provide structure and targeted support to mentors and mentees rather than relying on the intuition and natural skills of mentors. The purpose of this project is to develop the building assets together (BAT) toolkit with interactive, multimedia rich, web-based, asynchronous, microlearning content to guide mentors in establishing an enduring and effective relationship with their mentees. Software enhancements to the existing mentoring central learning management system will enable mentoring program staff to deploy the toolkit content as needed or on a customized schedule based upon the mentoring program's unique calendar. The enhancements will also enable mentors to easily access the toolkit content on all devices, thereby improving accessibility and adoption. The proposed product will be developed with input from mentoring program staff and educators. A usability study with mentoring program staff will be conducted to assess the usability of the software enhancements. A feasibility study with mentors will be conducted to determine the feasibility and acceptability of the BAT toolkit with mentors. The BAT toolkit will be a highly scalable and commercially-viable product, and will be designed to be easy to implement by mentoring programs and accessible to mentors. This toolkit is needed to improve the longevity and quality of mentoring relationships and the overall impact of mentoring on youth outcomes