- Mentoring and befriending specific tools: these tools are specifically focused on monitoring and befriending projects.
- Generic tools and guides: certain monitoring and evaluation guides and toolkits are generic, and can be applied to mentoring and befriending projects.
- Outcomes indicators developed for subject areas that can be applied to certain mentoring and befriending projects: these look at specific subjects, not necessarily related to mentoring and befriending, for example tracking reoffending rates among ex-offenders, that would be useful for certain mentoring and befriending projects to use.
The reasons for choosing a particular tool can be affected by:
- cost
- requirements from funders
- how much time and money it takes to maintain the chosen system.
We have our own free how to guides:
- How to plan the monitoring and evaluation of your mentoring or befriending project
- How to collect monitoring information for your mentoring or befriending project
- How to analyse and make sense of monitoring information for your mentoring or befriending project
- How to write up and communicate the evaluation of your mentoring or befriending project
- How to use and learn from your mentoring or befriending project evaluation
NCVO Charities Evaluation Services have written about planning impact and evaluation, and how to develop a monitoring and evaluation framework.
There are also a variety of other frameworks and tools, outlined below.
Tools for mentoring and befriending projects
| Organisation | Framework/Tool | Cost | Further info |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Monitoring and Evaluating Outcomes in Mentoring and Befriending |
£15 for non-NCVO members (£10.50 for members) |
Practical step by step guidance on monitoring and evaluation |
|
|
The Befriending and Mentoring Evaluation Toolkit |
£ 10 or free to members |
Guidance for setting up evaluation systems |
|
|
SMN Evaluation Framework |
Available only to members (free for members) (Membership is £50 a year for a single project/£100 for national organisation or multiple projects) |
Three key elements:
Data is collated by SMN and 'used to produce evidence to funders and policy makers' |
|
|
Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring (4th edition) AND How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program using the Elements of Effective Practice |
Free web access including downloadable tools |
Guidance based on six core Standards of practice for youth mentoring projects. Standard 5 is on monitoring and support. This guide provides information on establishing evaluation criteria and methods for youth mentoring projects (see page 163). Scroll to the end of this webpage to find downloadable evaluation tools. |
Generic cross-sector tools
| Organisation | Framework/Tool | Cost | Further info |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Institute for Volunteering Research |
£60 for non-members of NCVO (£42 for members) |
Helps projects assess the impact of their volunteers |
|
|
Bond |
Free web access |
The tool aims to 'improve understanding of evaluation methods, help inform intervention design to improve 'evaluability' and help inform the choice of evaluation methods to use when planning or commissioning a specific evaluation.' |
Good practice, quality standards and training for mentoring and befriending organisations (including monitoring and evaluation)
|
Organisation |
Quality Standard/ Training |
Cost |
Further info |
|
Good Practice in Befriending |
Available to members only (free to members) |
This replaces the Befriending Code of Practice |
|
|
Vital Skills in Befriending (Training) |
£50 for members (£60 for non members) |
Includes monitoring and evaluation (half day training session) including setting outcomes, baselines and indicators. Vital Skills in Befriending Certificate available. |
|
|
Quality in befriending (2010) |
Available to members only - plus cost according to size of organisaiton. |
Quality award for good practice in befriending services. Monitoring and evaluation and implementing change - befriending services measure the effectiveness of the work they do against stated outcomes and make any necessary improvements to their practice. |
|
|
Project Quality Award (Mentoring) |
Cost? |
Six core quality practice elements do not include monitoring and evaluation, however does include 'matching purpose with performance' |
|
|
Mentoring Good Practice guide |
Only available to members (free to members) |
Guidance on setting up a mentoring project, including evaluation |
|
|
Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring |
Free and available online |
Provides guidance and benchmarks for monitoring projects (page 65) including monitoring mentoring relationships |
|
|
Training |
Cost (variable depending on size of organisation) |
Courses include: -Setting up and managing a mentoring or befriending programme -Meassuring the outcomes of mentoring or befriending -Behaviours and skills of effective mentors and befrienders |
