Strong infrastructure.

Programs that offer adequate infrastructure increase the likelihood that relationships can endure difficult periods. In fact, meta-analyses indicate that program practices that support the mentor and relationship (i.e., training for mentors, offering structured activities for mentors and youth, having high expectations for frequency of contact, and monitoring of overall program implementation) produce stronger positive effects. These practices, which speak to a program’s ability to not only match mentors and youth but also sustain those matches, converge with the beneficial practices identified by other researchers.