What is Mentoring ?
Mentoring involves supporting and encouraging people to manage their own learning in order to maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be. – Eric Parsloe
Developing the relationship
Communication and organisation are the key to a successful mentoring relationship. Well managed and structured meetings give focus to the sessions and enable the development of a partnership between you and your mentor.
During you mentor meetings aim to :
- Recap on your last meeting
- Report and review goals and actions
- Agree on the date and time of the next meeting
Commitment
To establish a commitment between you and your mentor during the mentoring meetings make sure you:
- Meet your mentor regularly
- Listen actively
- Set objectives
- Act on your agreed objectives
Skills
Mentoring involves using and developing a range of skills that will be of personal and educational benefit to you these include :
- Listening, flexibility, goal setting and organisation.
Key things to remember about mentoring
- Although the relationship you have with your mentor is a confidential one, if you discuss something with your mentor that indicates to them that you are at risk, they are under obligation to report this to the necessary agencies.
- The relationship you have with your mentor is a professional one. They are not a surrogate family member.
- The relationship you have with your mentor is equal. It is not up to them to punish you (like teachers) unless it has been discussed and both of you agree.
- Not everyone “clicks” with their mentor straight away. We ask that you meet with your mentor for at least one month before asking to be paired with an alternative mentor.
- It is both your and your mentors responsibility to fill in the evaluation form at the end of each meeting.
- If a mentor organises a trip for you it is your responsibility to inform ACD and also your parent (s) or guardian (s)
- If you are unable to attend a meeting please give your mentor at least two hours notice.
If you encounter any problem with your mentor or you feel that the relationship is not working well, please contact ACD at 0207 250 8148
