This study examined the role of demographics, civic beliefs, and the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic in association with distinct forms of civic participation. College students were recruited across 10 institutions of higher education to complete an online survey. Bivariate, multivariable linear, and logistic regressions were performed. Findings indicated that participants from traditionally marginalized backgrounds were more likely to engage in systemchallenging forms of civic participation and community engagement than those from more privileged backgrounds. Participants who rated high in critical reflection, viewed racism as a key issue, and were heavily impacted by the COVID‐19 pandemic were also more likely to engage in system‐challenging forms of civic participation. Participants who endorsed beliefs supporting current systems of power were more likely to report they intended to vote. Results highlight implications for antiracist activism, community engagement, and traditional political civic behaviors.

Background: The research-practice gap has not been explored within civics education, and in particular the role of evidence-based civics curriculum in times of political trauma. Such research is critical in equipping educators with evidence-based resources to help mitigate political trauma experienced by students. Here, we explore the types of resources teachers access as well as the role of Brokers, Intermediaries and Boundary Spanners (BIBS) in connecting teachers to such sources after the historic 6 January 2021 US Capitol insurrection. Aims and objectives: This study poses the following research questions: (1) what resources did teachers utilise to support their students following the 6 January 2021 Capitol insurrection; and (2) who were key BIBS in connecting teachers to such information and what role did research evidence have in the generation of such materials? Methods: Using cross-sectional survey data, we analyse the open-ended text-based responses from educators reflecting on the days after 6 January 2021. Findings: The study illuminates’ trends in: (1) the type of resources teachers utilise to address students’ needs (educational curricula, social media, news outlets); and (2) the role of BIBS in connecting them to such information (media platforms, mass media, educational non-profit organisations). Discussion and conclusion: In the face of political trauma, educators present civics crises as ‘open issues’ and struggle to access frameworks to support research-based pedagogy. Findings illuminate the potential of a BIBS framework that works to further support educators in facilitating conversations and evidence-based pedagogies with their students that rebuke such injustices.

Aims: This study examines college students’ access to natural mentors during the contentious 2020 U.S. presidential election and considers the role of natural mentors as protective factors in relation to coping and sociopolitical stress. Methods: Data were collected from 588 students between the ages of 18 and 29 who were enrolled at 10 institutions of higher education across the U.S. at the time of data collection. Chi-square tests of independence explored differences in access to mentors. T-tests examined differences in sociopolitical stress and coping between those with and without mentors, and multivariable regressions examined whether relationship characteristics influenced these associations. Results: Findings indicated significant differences in access to mentors based on gender, religion, and political affiliation. Furthermore, results indicated that mentored college students reported higher levels of coping. Relationship characteristics did not affect these associations. Conclusion: Results highlight global implications for community practitioners as they support young adults’ civic engagement in divisive sociopolitical climates, especially as elections become increasingly polarizing on a global scale.

Youth mentoring is a popular means for preventing negative psychosocial outcomes (e.g., high-risk behaviors, school dropout) and promoting positive ones (e.g., matriculation, goal setting). Mentors matched with youth through formal programs, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, are uniquely positioned to promote the development of the mentee’s positive educational attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors (EABBs; e.g., academic engagement, grit, growth mindset). While school staff, such as school psychologists, are often unable to directly serve all students in need of support due to lack of time or large caseloads, youth mentoring may be a means to target EABB development. However, a critical precursor to leveraging mentoring for this purpose is understanding whether and how mentoring relationships influence youth EABBs. Despite extensive research on youth mentoring, relatively little work has examined mentoring outcomes specifically in relation to EABBs. This study addresses this gap by examining how young people benefit from mentoring relationships in relation to EABBs. A scoping review was conducted to determine the effects of program-sponsored mentoring relationships on EABBs, as well as which factors influence these effects. Results from 17 studies indicate small to moderate positive effects of youth mentoring on EABB development. Several factors, such as the relational context, the ecological context, and mentoring processes, appear to impact these effects. We highlight practical implications for how school personnel may use this information to partner with community-based mentoring programs to promote EABBs.