Abstract
With the explosion of social media, virtual relationships, and online communities, ementoring - also known as online mentoring or virtual mentoring - will change the way
traditional mentors and students interact with one another. Mentors are known for their ability to
enhance relationships with their students, cultivating a strong connection by establishing support
and guidance. The advantages of e-mentoring include the freedom to communicate at any given
time, the lack of time constraints, the opportunity for youths to be more open and direct, and an
increase in trust and sense of security between the mentor and mentee. The Net generation
habitat is rooted in technology. Their environment consists of social networking sites, such as
Facebook, MySpace and instantly accessible virtual world gaming sites.
Technology has introduced new concerns and risks that need to be addressed and
managed appropriately, by developing a program that addresses the issues that they face online
with their social networking community, equipping them with knowledge to combat negativity
and to mediate when they see one of their peers being attacked by cyber-bullies for inappropriate
photo posts, and making them aware of the consequences of their digital footprint.
