Mentoring for inclusion: A scoping review of the literature

Abstract

This article explores and summarizes the characteristics and findings in Norwegian research on mentoring for inclusion, using a scoping literature review. Mentoring matches younger or less experienced individuals with non-parental mentors to provide support and promote skills, personal development, and/or attainment of specific goals, such as employment. Searches were conducted in databases and in grey literature, with 19 publications included in our final analyses. The included publications encompass various approaches to organizing mentoring: by public sector organizations such as NAV and by non-public organizations (ideal organizations, social entrepreneurships). Over half of the mentoring programs in the included publications had immigrants or individuals with minority backgrounds as target groups. Nearly all the included publications assessed program results, concluding that mentoring generally achieved its (often broadly defined) objectives and/or that participants were satisfied. Notably, a robust assessment of the effects of mentoring remains an area for future inquiry. The included studies provide valuable insights into mentoring for supporting welfare state institutions in inclusion of vulnerable groups. Mentoring represents an individualized and flexible approach with the potential to supplement public services. Based on the findings, future directions for research on mentoring in the welfare state context are discussed.