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This systematic review examines the effectiveness of youth mentoring programmes in New Zealand, an area that has had tremendous growth in the past 20 years. Of the 74 potential studies identified in searches, 26 met the inclusion criteria. Overall, 88% of the included programmes showed some level of effectiveness, although these results are tentative due to the varied quality of the research. Further, programmes that focused on psychological and interpersonal goals were more effective than programmes focused on educational, behavioural, vocational or cultural goals. Programme characteristics that appeared to moderate effectiveness included: dissemination, age of programme, history of evaluation, utilising principles of best practice, component programme, type of mentoring relationship, use of peers as mentors, level of structure, expected length of mentor-mentee relationship, SES of youth, and researcher-practitioner relationship. Most young people in New Zealand experience positive well-being and adjustment (Fortune, Watson, Robinson, Fleming, Merry, & Denny, 2010). Over 90% reported having at least one parent who cared a lot about them and 83% felt safe at school all or most of the time. However, while most young people are doing well, there is a non-trivial group of vulnerable youth in New Zealand society requiring preventative interventions. Areas of vulnerability for these youth are seen in educational, health and social domains. These issues tend to be particularly pertinent for children and youth living in low socio-economic areas (St. John & Wynd, 2008).

Educationally, around 12% of all youth leave school with little or no …