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The DREAM Blog

Building Future Leaders: How Your School Can Partner with DREAM’s Guided Mentoring Program

Writer's picture: Hanna BlankenshipHanna Blankenship

Do you want to tackle challenges in your school while developing young leaders and creating meaningful community connections? DREAM’s Guided Mentoring program offers a proven, adaptable solution that empowers high school students to mentor elementary-aged peers. Backed by funding from the Department of Justice, this innovative program is expanding across Vermont and New Hampshire, and your school can join the movement to create stronger, more connected communities.


Currently serving over 300 youth at 15 sites across Vermont and New Hampshire, Guided Mentoring is more than a program—it’s a pathway to a future where every young person feels valued and supported. High school mentors gain leadership skills, meet graduation requirements, and enhance their college applications, while mentees receive the encouragement they need to dream big and thrive.



What Makes Guided Mentoring Unique?

Unlike traditional mentorship models, Guided Mentoring trains high school students to mentor elementary-aged youth. This two-year commitment fosters deeper relationships and mutual growth. Group mentoring sessions, led by DREAM’s skilled staff, equip mentors-in-training (MiTs) with the confidence and skills they need to succeed. Over time, these mentors transition to one-on-one mentoring while continuing group activities, strengthening bonds and a shared sense of purpose.


The program’s curriculum is focused on mentorship, identity, sense of place, and purpose, which aligns with the Vermont Transferable Skills Framework, ensuring students meet graduation requirements while growing personally and professionally. Activities like adventure trips, discussions, and team-building exercises make the program engaging and impactful.



Empowering Youth as Leaders and Changemakers

Guided Mentoring recognizes that young people are leaders today, not just tomorrow. The program fosters leadership by equipping high school mentors with skills in communication, empathy, problem-solving, and teamwork. Weekly MiT sessions build these competencies, using frameworks like the Elements of Effective Mentoring Practices and the Developmental Relationships Framework to ensure mentors can effectively support their younger peers. This leadership development has a ripple effect. The dynamic benefits mentees, who see relatable role models from their own communities and gain inspiration to achieve their potential.


Guided Mentoring tackles community challenges in resource-limited rural areas by training high school students to mentor younger kids, fostering a sustainable, intergenerational support system. Backed by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention  (OJJDP) and Vermont Community Foundation, it’s a vital resource for youth development in high-poverty areas.

The program is designed to counteract troubling trends among youth, including substance use, feelings of hopelessness, and bullying—issues identified in Vermont’s annual Youth Risk Behavior and Prevention Survey. Guided Mentoring equips high school students with tools to express care, challenge growth, and offer support to their mentees, creating a positive framework for growth and connection.


Research from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) highlights the correlation between community engagement and protective factors against substance use. Guided Mentoring taps into this by facilitating community service, local adventure trips, and business exploration. These activities not only broaden students’ horizons but also help them understand their roles within their communities, fostering a sense of belonging and purpose.


A Partnership with HOBY  

DREAM’s Guided Mentoring program flourishes in part due to its partnership with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) program. Many of our high school mentors are also HOBY participants, inspired by its mission to cultivate leadership among young people. HOBY’s annual conference in Vermont provides an excellent platform to recruit passionate students for Guided Mentoring, reinforcing the importance of leadership and service. 



Ready to make an impact?

In just a few years, Guided Mentoring has become a powerful example of what’s possible when young people unite with purpose. Recognized by Mentor Vermont as a leader in youth mentorship, DREAM is proud to help Vermont’s young people realize their potential as leaders, friends, and change-makers. Supported by renewed OJJDP funding, we’re excited to expand the program, welcoming new mentors and mentees ready to grow together.


Guided Mentoring isn’t just about mentorship—it’s a movement to empower the next generation of leaders. To bring this program to your school, contact Bruce G. Perlow, Guided Mentoring Program Director, at bperlow@dreamprogram.org. Let’s build a brighter future, one mentorship at a time.




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