This article describes how to create a Screening Summary after the interview portion of the screening process. Effective Screening Summaries will enable the program team to use screener insights about the mentor’s life experiences, interests, and preferences to support matching.

The majority of the Screening Summary will come from the interview, summarizing key matching points in 2-4 sentences. Additional notes can be added to the Screening Summary after reviewing references and the mentor application. References and ‘Anything to help match with a mentee’ can reveal interesting talents or life experiences relevant to making a good match. Try to make a habit of reviewing this section in Salesforce before the interview. 

With all that in mind, it’s important that these summaries remain short and sweet. They should be written immediately following the interview (right at the end of the interview form) and take around 5 minutes. Once the interview form is submitted, those Screening Summary notes appear in the "Mentor Matching Preferences” tab in the ‘Screening Summary’ field. The information in this field will be distributed to program during matching.

Format and Buckets of information included in the Screening Summary  
 
 The Screening summary will be written in short paragraph form. Each of the following buckets should be captured in one short sentence or sentence fragment (if the info is relevant for that mentor. Eg. Not all applicants will have logistical considerations):

1. Availability & Commitment
   • Logistical considerations that may affect matching (availability if less than 2 years, preferences not outlined in the application, pair event nuances, etc.)
2. Communication Style / Mentoring Strengths
   • Observed communication approach or potential strengths in a mentoring role, using neutral language. This should be as objective as possible.
3. Experience Depth
   • Relevant past experiences that may inform matching. (Eg. Volunteer experience, formative high school experiences, any experiences that a mentee could relate to. There is an interview question about this.)
4. Match Recommendation
   • Screener perspective on potential alignments with students. Examples below:
     • As a former student athlete, may be a good match for a student who wants to play sports in college.
     • Mentor would love to be matched with a student interested in STEM – it's their skillset.
     • Seems to have a lot of energy – a more extroverted student may benefit from a mentor like this.
     • Experience navigating nuances with the FAFSA – could be a good match for student going through something similar.
     • Are more comfortable using Spanish – ok with our English programming overall but hopes to be matched with a Spanish speaking student.

Below are examples of what a Screening Summary can look like: 

Brooklyn or Manhattan requirement. Could only do lunchtime meetups if matched in Brooklyn. Relates to being in a single parent household. Jovial and bubbly demeanor. Has leadership experience working with youth.

Preference to be matched with a Spanish-speaking student. Outgoing and relational. Longtime BBBS mentor with high school students. Strong interest in sports, especially soccer. Could be a strong match for a student interested in engineering, aligned with current career.

Lives in the West Loop, would prefer a school close to there if possible. Has been a mentor previously with other organizations and is still in touch with former mentee. Has previously run his own volunteer focused nonprofit.

Important considerations to note about the Screening Summary

The Screening Summary IS NOT a summary of a mentor’s life. Rather, it highlights a few key points to support in the matching process. The summary supplements the additional matching information collected in the Screening Application that program receives for matching. Screening Summaries may also vary based on the amount of information an applicant provides so not every mentor will have information for every bucket mentioned above, resulting in a shorter Screening Summary.