Quality Partners

Quality Partners are formal mentoring programs and organizations that have participated in the National Quality Mentoring System (NQMS) and have demonstrated adherence to quality standards.

National Quality Mentoring System

The National Quality Mentoring System (NQMS) provides a structured, systematic process for assessing the quality of a mentoring program’s practices in alignment with the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring. NQMS gives youth mentoring programs a meaningful indicator of quality and lends credibility to individual programs to help them attract resources and support. It also helps families and volunteers feel confident about participating in a mentoring program that meets national quality standards.

How NQMS Works

NQMS is 6-9 month process for mentoring programs, and includes the following core components:

An online self-assessment survey completed by the mentoring program, with questions about program operations, management, and evaluation
A review and summary prepared by MENTOR Virginia based on the program’s self-assessment
An assessment review meeting between MENTOR Virginia and the mentoring program
The development of goals and a work plan for the program to make quality improvements with the help of training and support from MENTOR Virginia

Programs that participate in NQMS have the opportunity to receive a quality designation, and be featured by MENTOR Virginia as a quality partner.

To learn more about becoming a quality partner through NQMS, please contact Sarah at sarah@mentorva.org. For answers to frequently asked questions about NQMS, click the button below.

NQMS FAQs