Getting the Right Fit: The Early Implementation of Youth Initiated Mentoring in Ireland

Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM) is an emerging approach that supports young people to identify mentors from within their existing social networks. While research has examined YIM outcomes, less is known about implementation in new organizational and policy contexts. This paper explores the early implementation of the MentorMe programme in Ireland. Data were collected through qualitative interviews, focus groups and surveys with young people, parents, mentors, staff and referrers (n = 18). Reflexive thematic analysis identified four themes: adaptation rather than adoption, stakeholder acceptance, organizational fit, and implementation challenges. Findings highlight the importance of adaptation in embedding mentoring innovations.