Mentoring in the National Guard ChalleNGe Program

Mentoring is an integral part of the ChalleNGe program.  The National Guard's ChalleNGe Program was launched in 1993 to address the needs of 16- to 18-year-old at-risk youth. The initial design of the program remains the same: a twenty-two-week Residential component, where mentoring begins, followed by one year of Post-Residential mentoring to encourage lifestyle changes.  Matching each youth with a caring, responsible adult mentor is a critical component of ChalleNGe.

 About Mentoring
 The Mentor Connection

Mentoring is a key strategy for successful long-term placement.  Successful placement means that a ChalleNGe graduate has entered or enlisted in the military, enrolled in school, or working.  ChalleNGe was designed to produce long-term post-residential success.  Programs may celebrate successes along the way such as the educational or physical achievements of their cadets, but the true test of any program is its long-term impact on the lives of its target population.  The primary long-term outcome for a ChalleNGe program is defined as "successful placement at the end of the Post-Residential Phase."  A 1998 study on the ChalleNGe program found that over ninety percent of youths who where doing well in the post-residential phase had active and successful mentor relationships.