There are several important factors to consider before goal-setting with a mentee (Carter, 1993):
• Establish a relationship of trust over time.
• Establishing confidentiality is prerequisite to goal-setting.
• The mentee should be directly involved in setting goals. With the mentorís guidance, the
mentee must articulate each goal, and it must be genuinely his/her goal.
• A short-term goal that can be easily achieved is a good starting point; for example, simply to
complete all math homework assignments for the next week.
• Goals must be specific and measurable. For instance, ìMary will complete and turn in all
English assignments next week.î
• To assure that an attempt will be made by mentees to meet their goals, a written commitment
contract should be established between the mentor and the mentee.
If a mentee fails to achieve his/her goal, examine these possible factors:
• The goal may have been too difficult to achieve.
• The goal may have been developed without the active involvement and commitment of the
mentee.
• The mentee may be fearful of achieving a self-enhancing goal. Many at-risk adolescents have
low self-esteem and believe they are ìlosers.î They often become accustomed to making
poor choices, reinforcing their negative self-image.
• The mentor may need to speak to the mentee about his/her fears of being successful and
making self-enhancing decisions.