Building Your Web of Support

Description of Resource: This structured assessment tool produces a visual representation of a youth’s social support system. Using guided interview prompts, youth will identify and reflect on individuals in their lives (e.g., from their school, family, neighborhood) who they perceive as providing various types of support such as emotional, informational, instrumental, feedback, and companionship. The tool can help mentors and program staff understand a young person’s existing sources of support and identify potential areas for expanding supportive relationships. Programs may also consider incorporating this tool into their evaluative efforts to assess and track youth networks of support over time.

Goals: To provide mentors and program staff an interactive activity to collaboratively identify different sources of support with youth.

Target Population/Eligibility or Target Sites: Mentoring programs of all types.

Corresponding Elements of Effective Practice: Forming Mentoring Relationships, Supporting Mentoring Relationships

Key Personnel: N/A

Additional Information: In completing this activity, young people may reveal limited or no supportive relationships, or disclose unhealthy or abusive ones. Program staff should be prepared to respond sensitively and address any safety concerns promptly, following appropriate protocols. For other measures of social capital, see the NMRC Measurement Guidance Toolkit.

Publisher/Source: Developmental Press

Author: Zaff, J. F., Varga, S. M., & Karcher, M. J. (2025). Building your web of support activity. San Antonio: Developmental Press

Date of Publication: 2025

Evaluation Methodology: Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

Evaluation Outcomes: Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

External Validity: Resource has not been evaluated for effectiveness

This resource is available at no cost for download here.

Evidence Base: None

Additional References: None