Guidance for SET Mentees

Guidance for SET Mentees

Contents

Resources / 2
Introduction / 3
What is mentoring? / 3
The roles of the mentor and mentee / 3
Techniques of mentoring / 53
The mentoring process / 6
Appendices
A.  Roles and responsibilities for SET mentors and mentees / 8
B.  The mentoring agreement template / 9
C.  Activity log
D.  Professional discussion template / 11
12

Resources

This Guidance outlines the important functions and characteristics of an effective mentee within the SET service, to enable you to consider whether the role of mentor is for you, and to be a useful source of reference during the mentoring process.

Related documents and resources include:

·  Global Code of Ethics of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC). We expect mentors to abide by this Code.

·  Guidance for SET mentors

·  Resources for mentors and mentees

o  Appendices A. Roles and responsibilities of mentors and mentees

o  Appendices B. Agreement Template: to be completed by you and your mentor

o  Appendices C. Activity Log

o  Appendices D. Professional discussion template

Introduction

The purpose of a mentor is to provide personal support, encouragement and challenge at a decisive or challenging moment in a person’s career e.g. how can I develop in my current role? Or where do I go next? How can I improve my life/work balance and manage priorities? Should I think about a role within a different part of the sector?

The practice of mentoring can be an inspiring experience for both mentors and mentees. The Education and Training Foundation's (ETF) own research has shown that a good mentor can make a positive difference to anyone working on their personal and professional development by boosting confidence and motivation. For the mentor, it offers an opportunity to connect with others within the sector and enables them to share their knowledge and expertise. Furthermore, challenging conversations provide a practical means of stretching and developing practice that both mentors and mentees can reflect upon.

SET recognises the benefits of offering a mentoring service and to launch the service is:

·  Setting up a register of mentors. The Register will consist of members of the Society of Education and Training and/or are highly experienced and skilled in their chosen fields who also have experience of coaching and mentoring.

·  Offering a matching service to link potential mentors with mentees. In the early stages, it may not always be possible to geographically link people but it is hoped that mentoring via skype/telephone will be a positive alternative to face-to-face sessions.

Mentoring requires an investment of time and effort from both the mentee and mentor, so it is vital that both have a clear understanding of the commitment required and their needs and aspirations. We also recommend reading ‘Guidance for SET Mentors’ to understand the nature of the relationship that will be formed.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a practice in which a trusted and experienced person, uses their knowledge and understanding to support the development of a colleague through a work/career challenge. This process enables two people to work together professionally within an agreed time arrangement. A mentor facilitates the mentee’s critical thinking capabilities using a non-judgemental approach with the aim of building confidence and potentially enhancing creativity.

It uses similar models and skills of questioning, listening, clarifying and reframing associated with coaching but SET mentors will not be expected to be involved in the coaching of specific skills and/or classroom practice, nor in the counselling of personal issues.

The roles of the mentor and mentee

A suggested list of the roles and responsibilities of the mentor and mentee are given Appendix A.

As a mentee, you are expected to take responsibility for your development and to be in control of the agenda. It is anticipated that you will be committed to the process and are willing to work towards the actions discussed. You can anticipate honest and constructive feedback and support throughout the mentoring period. It will also be expected that you will explore different options, be challenged in your thinking and identify potential ways forward. Your mentor will be your critical friend throughout your endeavors.

The mentoring period will be finite, with guidance that includes no less than 3 and no more than 6 sessions (of up to 1 hour) to be held over a period of no more than 9 months. Initially your mentor will discuss your aims and expectations/aspirations and will help you to put together a plan for the mentoring period.

It is suggested that the first session will be to identify goals and plan for the mentoring period; a mid-way session will focus on progress; and at the end of the process a session will be held to review and reflect on learning and changes. This is the recommended structure of the mentoring relationship and is

Depending on your needs, interests and goals you may wish to include other developmental activities – peer shadowing, observations, interviewing specialist leaders, visits etc. – this would be entirely a decision to be made within your partnership. You may decide to extend the number of sessions but we recommend no more than 6 in the 9-month period. Other points of contact (e.g. emails, ad hoc or planned phone calls, virtual and face to face meetings) will need to be agreed between you and your mentor, depending on the preferences and commitments of both. (See the agreement template on page 10 for further information).

The matching process

The SET team will process your application and will do their best to select a mentor who closely matches your needs and preferences. Of course, it may not be possible to match you with someone who fits all your criteria and it is important for you to indicate on your form particular priorities.

The choice of mentor will depend upon both your personal preferences and your professional and developmental needs. Before you complete your registration take some time to consider the knowledge and skills of your preferred mentor. Which of these might be important to you?

·  Exceptional pedagogical skills, resulting in a positive impact on learner outcomes

·  Exceptional subject / vocational knowledge, and commitment to maintaining and updating this knowledge

·  Has contributed to quality improvement within an organisation or network

·  Has skills and knowledge in undertaking educational research

·  Leadership skills in a similar (or very different) organisation

·  Entrepreneurial skills and commercial acumen

·  Other?

Remember that being involved in a mentoring relationship will provide a significant learning opportunity where your mentor will help you to set goals to stretch and challenge your current perceptions, helping you to be the best you can be. Do not automatically consider a mentor who offers the same background/personal characteristics as you but weigh up the benefits of being paired with someone who can offer different experiences.

The clearer your specification for a mentor, the more likely the team will be able to select the right person for you.

For example, do you want a mentor who:

·  Has a particular educational background and experience

·  Is of a certain level of seniority

·  Has particular skills or attributes

·  Is of a certain gender / cultural background / age

·  Has a personality and / or academic / teaching / training style either similar or different to yours?

What personal attributes do you seek in a mentor?

We would expect that an effective mentor would have the following characteristics:

·  Enthusiasm

·  Belief in the value of mentoring and the development of others

·  A good listener

·  Open to and respectful of others' perspectives

·  Able to give and receive constructive feedback and to challenge constructively

·  Ethical role model

What is most important for you? What might you add to the list?

Techniques of mentoring

Think about and clarify what your objectives for mentoring the implications of your expectations for youre mentor. You should expect the mentoring process to include one or more of the following techniques:

·  Acts as a testing ground for your ideas

·  Directly assists your learning and/or problem-solving

·  Helps you to reframe your perspective on something

·  Asks challenging questions

·  Provides honest and constructive feedback

·  Acts as devil’s advocate

·  Reflects back what you are saying to act as a mirror to you

·  Energises and prods you into action

·  Helps you make sense of new concepts and learning

·  Evaluates and appraises your work or activities and helps you to self-evaluate

·  Eases access to people and networks

·  Provides organisational and political knowledge

·  Provides professional expertise and exemplifies good and ethical practice

·  Empathises and reassures

·  Points out opportunities

Which are especially important to you?

The mentoring process

1.1  At the start of the process

Ideally you will have a clear idea of what you want from a mentor; but you can anticipate that your mentor will assist you in identifying your needs and clarifying your objectives. The mentor will also need to express their aims of the process too so this initial discussion is vital to reach an agreement about expectations and how (and whether) these might be met and what would make the mentoring relationship a success from both of your perspectives.

You may have an immediate good fit with your mentor that is going to work easily for both of you but it is also likely that some compromise may be necessary to make the mentoring relationship work. Practicalities such as location and time available are important. For example, if you cannot meet face to face, what alternatives are possible that will still provide most of what you need? Practicalities such as location and time available are important. You need to agree on a mutually acceptable private space in which the confidential conversation can take place. If you cannot always meet face to face, what alternatives are possible that will still provide most of what you need and in which privacy can be guaranteed? This will engender an honest conversation so that you come to an agreement about what roles and responsibilities each of you has, and the limits and boundaries of your relationship.

In this first conversation, you and your mentor will need to agree on the logistics of the mentoring sessions. We anticipate that each session will be up to one hour and may be face to face, by skype (or other social media calls) or by phone. We suggest that mentoring pairs allow a ‘cooling’ period of 48 hours before they commit and sign the agreement. It is possible that, either at the initial meeting or after a period of reflection, that you and / or the mentee agree that you are not a good ‘match’. If this occurs please contact SET so we can try and find you another mentor.

You and your mentor will need to agree on the following points using the template offered on page 9. This agreement form is provided at Appendix B to record the points of agreement. Whilst the completion of this form is a joint responsibility it is your responsibility to inform SET that you have reached an agreement and the form has been signed. (SET does not need to see a copy of the form)

The agreement will cover: (see p 9)

o  Objectives, aims and goals

o  Confidentiality

o  Schedule of sessions and contact arrangements

o  Boundary issues

o  Responsibilities of mentee and mentor to main commitment to mentoring relationship

o  Record keeping mentors and mentees should keep records of sessions, example record keeping templates will be provided.

o  In addition, mentors will be expected to abide by the Global Code of Ethics of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC)

Whatever the outcome, be open and honest about your needs and be clear about the next steps.

You will need to organize the first mentoring session in order to clarify your goals an identify priorities, milestones and have some idea of how these will be achieved. We recommend you keep a reflective diary/critical incident log during the period of your mentoring.

1.2  During the process

We anticipate that you will be seeking support in deciding next steps in your career or you may be looking for challenge and inspiration in your current role. You may be seeking ways to fulfill your talent and potential or may be looking for a confidence boost and inspiration.

Whilst SET has no involvement in the actual content of the process/relationship, it is expected that you will be involved in professional discussions designed to support and challenge; to be given feedback and encouragement; and for you to be challenged to take your development further and enhance your thinking. You may organize activities to further your development – it is up to you.

Midway through the process (probably 2- 3 months after commencement) you can expect a progress discussion based on the milestones, priorities and goals highlighted in the original discussion. This will be an opportunity to explore your reflective diary, in particular any critical incidents; and discuss issues relating to development activities. At this juncture you may also wish to build on your learning and consider other additional activities and ideas.

At the end of the process you will be expected to think through how your learning can be shared, applied and sustained and what you have achieved over the mentoring period. Together you should reflect on the process and evaluate your learning and any changes that have occurred.

1.3  At the end of the process

At the end of the process we will be seeking your thoughts and reflections to we can learn from your experience and further develop the service.

Appendices

. A. Roles and responsibilities for SET mentors and mentees

Mentee role and responsibilities: The mentee is the driver of the mentoring relationship. To ensure it works well, they should:
1.  Think about and clarify what they want from a mentor and the process of mentoring and set objectives for themselves. Use these ideas as the foundation of their first discussion.
2.  Take responsibility for an effective mentoring relationship. Ensure time for good preparation for each meeting. It is their responsibility to provide an agenda for each meeting. They should make their own summary notes and follow up actions agreed.
3.  Be proactive and take the lead in the relationship; be prepared to discuss issues with the mentor, seek advice, be open to other perspectives and act on feedback.
4.  Be open to feedback
5.  Be active in their development and see learning as a continuous process
6.  Recognise that learning involves risks and be prepared to be open about themselves
7.  Be prepared for their needs to change and discuss these changes with the mentor
Mentor role and responsibilities: A mentor’s role and responsibilities may encompass the elements below.
1.  Discuss initial expectations and needs to ensure clear ground rules and objectives.
2.  Hold a minimum of three professional discussions with the mentee: the first at the beginning of the process to identify goals and plan for the mentoring period. The second to discuss progress mid-way; and at the end of the process to review and reflect on learning and changes. This does not preclude other development interventions or additional sessions that may be agreed.
3.  Provide honest and constructive feedback throughout the mentoring period and support the mentee as they work through their challenges. Encourage exploration of different options and potential ways forward; help the mentee to reframe how they view something.
4.  Help the mentee to see themselves more clearly through observations and feedback and help the mentee to see the bigger and longer-term picture.
5.  Act as a sounding board/testing ground for the mentee’s ideas. Stimulate, motivate and encourage the mentee and assist their skills in learning, problem solving/decision making
6.  Enable networking and access to others
7.  Take an interest in the mentee’s progress
8.  Acts as an ethical role mode, potentially providing organisational and political knowledge/professional expertise

B.  The mentoring agreement

Please read the Guidance notes and allow for a 48 hour ‘cooling period’ before completing this agreement. Ensure that you keep a copy for your personal records and to send to your mentor.