November 9, 2017 – Dr. Janis Kupersmidt, iRT’s and Mentoring Central’s President and Senior Research Scientist, and Eline Heppe, doctoral student at the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, presented at the Center of Expertise Social Innovation, Rotterdam University of Applied Sciences, on “Increasing the Effectiveness of Mentoring by Enhancing Mentoring Program Practices.” Rotterdam University has partnered with local high schools and primary schools to develop mentoring relationships between the university’s students and youth from South Rotterdam, an area of the city with a high percentage of dropouts and youth unemployment. The audience for this presentation included a diverse group of representatives from mentoring programs across Rotterdam, including Big Brothers Big Sisters or Rotterdam, researchers, city government officials and funders providing support to mentoring activities in Rotterdam. iRT is excited about working with mentoring organizations across the globe to help them increase their impact on the youth they serve. For more information about Mentors of Rotterdam and the work of the Centre of Expertise Innovation, see http://www.emiopzuid.nl/info-729/mentors-of-rotterdam.