What is Mentoring ?

• Mentoring is a one to one relationship between two individuals based simply on the needs and aspirations of one (mentee) and the abilities and resources of the other (mentor).
• Mentoring is the planned intervention of selected adults from local business and community organisations in the practice of working with young people who may be failing to realise their full potential.
• A mentor supports and helps motivate a less experienced person to reach his/her true potential.
• Mentors are usually more experienced than the learner and provide support, encouragement and guidance.
• Mentoring is the process by which a mentee can gain help and advice from a mentor who may be a specialist in the field of work the mentee wants to enter.
• Mentoring is a process of working together to achieve agreed goals through SMART targets.

Advantages to Mentees

Mentoring provides an opportunity to gain:

• A positive role model and a friend
• More responsibility for own learning
• Increased confidence and motivation
• Improved future prospects
• Improved inter-personal and social skills

Advantages to Employers and Mentor

Mentoring provides the opportunity to gain:

• Increased motivation and sense of achievement
• A raised company profile within the community
• Better interpersonal and communication skills
• Greater understanding of the education system
• Professional development
• Greater understanding of young people

Qualities of a Mentor

A mentor needs to be:

• A good listener
• Open and honest
• Non-judgemental
• A motivator
• Empathetic
• Patient
• Reliable

Our mentoring programme can offer

• Training of mentors
• On-going support
• Networking with other mentors
• Accreditation for peer mentors