This paper focuses on the problems of youth at risk of not successfully making the transition to adulthood. It examines the concept of mentoring and discusses several existing and successful mentoring programs. It looks at mentoring as it relates to young people--teenagers, young adults, and also some "pre-teens." Chapter 1 presents an overview of mentoring--its appeal, the characteristics of a mentoring relationship, its benefits, its social context, and its long-term goals. Chapter 2 examines where mentoring is occurring for young people, with a focus on programs affiliated with college campuses, within-school mentoring, and state-initiated mentoring. Private or nonprofit support for mentoring is also discussed. Chapter 3 reviews the policy context of mentoring, with suggestions for policy makers who may be considering mentoring as part of their agendas. (TE)