Investigating the Impact of Mentorship on the Creativity and Well-Being of Youth and Mentors

In partnership with Young Women Empowered (Y-WE), foundry10 researchers explore the impact of creative practices on mentor and youth social emotional well-being.

Y-WE summer program participant and foundry10 Assistant Researcher Kat Chen.

In partnership with Young Women Empowered (Y-WE), we are currently analyzing data from our summer 2023 study which investigates the impact of summer programming and mentoring on the creative, social and emotional, and identity development of adult mentors and youth participants. This study is a continuation of a long held research partnership between Y-WE and foundry10.

This year, consenting youth participants and mentors in five of Y-WE’s summer programs completed pre- and post-program surveys. To better understand the experiences of program participants, researchers also interviewed youth and mentors in one of the five summer programs, as well as conducted observations throughout the week.

The surveys and interviews focused on participants’ development in the following domains through participation in Y-WE summer programs:

• Social/relational skills: Interactions with others at and outside of Y-WE, including self-awareness, communication, and other interpersonal skills.
• Well-being: Emotional state and sense of psychological safety, including feelings of anxiety and self-esteem.
• Identity and community: Sense of self (e.g., how they see themselves and their relationships to the Y-WE community), sense of belonging, and feeling affirmed in their identities (e.g., youth see themselves in their mentors, young people’s complex and intersectional identities are centered at Y-WE).
• Self-expression: Willingness to express one’s self and ideas, encouragement and opportunities to try new/unfamiliar mediums, and take creative
  risks.

Last year’s research partnership with Y-WE explored the potential benefits of a week-long summer camp on creativity, social and emotional risks, and general well-being of marginalized youth. Results from last year’s study suggest that creative risk-taking is often intertwined with social perceptions (e.g., developing social confidence reduces fears of trying new artistic techniques) and enhances well-being when youth feel supported.

You can read more about foundry10’s partnership and past research with Y-WE on our website.