Getting started
- When you meet your scholars and parents either through tutoring, mentoring or facilitating a workshop, you should always set out your expectations
- Introduce yourself.
- Find out what they want to gain from the session.
- Tell them what you have to offer for that session or the next few months…
- And come to an arrangement about how you will proceed going forwards or set some ground rules
- 3 mentoring sessions in each term
- Approx. 1 per month
- Reminder emails in the last two weeks of each month
- Best to arrange your next session before the end of your last session eg. In the last 5 mins
How do mentoring sessions work?
- Meet or call your mentor once a month
- Sessions are usually 1-3 hours long.
- Your mentee will have a personal notebook to write down goals for every month
- You should also make notes from meetings as we’ll ask you for feedback on progress at the end of each 12-week period.
- Ask for areas that he/she is struggling with. Coach them through the sessions and try to set SMART goals – no more than 3 simple goals in a month
- Keep in touch throughout the month via email or additional calls if needed.
Where to meet your scholar
- Meet at a coffee shop
- Go to scholar’s home
- Forward blog entries or articles you find online
- Invite to your work place – if you feel comfortable doing so
- Go to a museum, gallery or building of interest
- Go to an event eg for girls in technology
Mentoring activities should be
- Low cost or no cost
- Educational
- Build a relationship with young person & parent
- Interactive/engaging
- Encourage dialogue
- Raise aspirations
- Be of interest to your mentee
Popular questions.
- You can take photos at events but preferably with the team camera and if you’re using your phone, email all photos straight to us so we have it on record that no ‘dodgy’ photos were taken. office@windsorscholars.com
- Handshakes vs. Hugs.
- ‘Hi’ and waving from afar can be good.
- Congratulating with a Hi-5 can be good (WARNING: Do not to this with a teenager)
- Safeguarding purposes
- Health & safety
- You’re not giving conflicting advice
- Build a relationship with parents
- Get parents to see their child’s potential
- Discuss progress with parents
- Drop off and pick up
- Payment for any activities*
- A different type of family activity
- Don’t feel under pressure to come up with all the ideas. Parents will often have their own idea of things to do – they know their child best!
- This will help you plan your time and adapt your sessions to their needs
- We have a bank of questions you can use to find out more about your mentee
- You may want to know
–Their academic goals
–Their career aspirations
–What they enjoy doing
–What they struggle with
–How you can support them with that goal*
How could you support a child with that issue?
- Always ask questions so that you get a full understanding of the situation issue
- Sign posting to resources
- Ask if it’s okay to discuss this with parents to come up with a solution
- Share your story or experience (if relevant)
- Give some advice or guidance about the matter