Outline of mentoring

Business Mentoring is the development of a one-to-one relationship between an adult from industry and a student with the aim of motivating, encouraging and supporting the student. It is intended to:

• Provide advice and encouragement in relation to progress towards identified goals.
• help increase student self confidence, motivation and achievement
• enable students to meet positive role models
• promote, encourage and reinforce the importance and value of education and career goals in a student's personal and vocational development
• raise the student's awareness of the world of work.

Schools target students for mentoring who need to:

• increase their personal effectiveness skills
• increase motivation
• increase their academic achievement
• raise their self-esteem

The EBP will liaise with local companies in order to recruit mentors. There will be a 2 hour induction session run by the EBP for mentors and involving school staff who are responsible for the scheme. This will include confidentiality awareness and child protection. Both mentors and mentees will complete a compatibility form in order to make the matching process easier.

If possible, before the mentoring sessions begin, it is a good idea to have an ice-breaking activity where the 2 groups work together. This helps to make the initial face-to-face sessions run more smoothly. Also, a launch evening where the parents attend, really lays a good foundation.

Contact us for more information.

Guidance

• Appoint someone to oversee the scheme.
• Choose students carefully.
• Make available rooms for the interviews.
• Have a secure email address which can be viewed by staff.
• A written record of conversations and action points should be kept by mentors and mentees.
• The appointed member of staff should have an email address available for mentors.
• A signing-in book should be kept at Reception.
• Regular opportunities for feedback from both parties.