Mentor Training

Session Outline

• Understand the fundamentals of mentoring.

• Practise the skills involved.

• Know the boundaries of the role.

Warm Up

Part 1: Understanding

the Fundamentals

In pairs discuss:

• Have you ever been a mentor before?

• Do you have any specific worries/questions about

being a mentor?

Past Experience and Questions

Mentoring Defined

"Mentoring is a one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship

in which a mentor voluntarily gives time to support and

encourage another."

Home Office, Active Community Unit

In small groups discuss:

• What does a mentor do to support their mentee(s)?

• What kinds of skills should a mentor have/use?

What Does a Mentor Do?

Summary of Good Mentoring Behaviours

• Approachable and reliable.

• A genuine interest in the student.

• Good listening and questioning skills.

• Keeps discussions confidential.

• Guides but doesn't tell (non-directive).

The Role of a Mentor

Mentors are there to...

• motivate.

• act as role models.

• share experience.

• help mentees make

their own decisions.

• refer.

• listen.

Mentors are not...

• lecturers/study support

tutors.

• counsellors.

• money lenders.

• there to do things for

their mentee(s).

• people who know all

the answers.

In small groups discuss:

• What are the benefits of being a mentor?

• What made you want to become a mentor?

What are the Benefits of being a Mentor?

Benefits of being a Mentor

• Improved communication and inter-personal skills.

• Chance to support another student and learn about

experience that may differ from your own.

• Opportunity to reflect and see how much you have

developed during your time at university.

• Evidence of skills and experience for Hallam Award and employers.

The Hallam Award

• Recognition for extracurricular activities such as mentoring, placement rep, course / department rep, part time job. Please check the website for eligible activities.

• Measure your progress against the Hallam Graduate Attributes, e.g. Confidence, Creativity.

• Bronze, Silver & Gold Awards.

• Award redesigned and rebranded for September 2018 -

all first year students auto-enrolled.

• Get started at: blogs.shu.ac.uk/hallamaward

Reflection

Reflection allows you to engage in a process of self

development to recognise your strengths and

weaknesses and identify areas for change.

• How do you feel after the meeting?

• What skills are you developing?

• Are you finding something easier/more challenging

than expected?

• How are your developing these skills?

What were your Worries and Concerns?

Practising the Skills

Unconscious Bias

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCgIRGKAbfc

Invisible Diversity

• Invisible disability.

• Neurodiversity.

• Mental health.

• Sexual identity.

• Gender identity.

• Care leavers.

• Carers.

No One is an Expert on Everything

"If you've met one person with X, you've met one person

with X"

Everyone is an expert in themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw

Empathy

Listening Skills

In pairs

• Tell your partner about what you did at the weekend.

The other person is NOT going to listen

• Swap around. The other person talks about something

which happened to them. Their partner shows they are

listening

What are the differences in behavior?

Listening is Active

Physical*

• Appropriate levels of

eye contact.

• Being aware of your

body language.

• Not interrupting and

allowing silence.

• Being present.

Verbal / Responsive

• Summarising/reflecting -

to check/show you have

understood.

• Asking follow up questions

based on responses.

• Don't be afraid to say if you don’t understand.

Listening is Active (part 2)

Emotional

• Creating a safe space.

• Showing sympathy for their situation .

• Not feeling you have to give advice or solutions.

• Accepting different opinions and avoiding judgement.

“I know exactly

how you feel.”

Always ensure your mentee is doing most of the talking.

Open vs Closed Questions

• When can closed questions be useful?

• When can open questions be useful?

Avoid asking more than one question at a time.

Closed or Open?

Information and

direction

Decisions and

problem solving.

Who... might be able to help you with this?

What... do you think the main issue is?

Where... do you think you can work best?

Why... do you think this is causing you so much trouble?*

When... do you need to sort this by?

How... could you approach this differently?

The Five Ws

Four Steps to Guiding without Telling

Listen... to your mentee explain their concern in full. Do not

interrupt them.

Clarify...any details you were unsure about in what they

have said.

Ask...what solutions/actions they can think of to address

their concern.

Agree... what they are going to go away and do based on

the solutions/actions they have suggested.

Task Planner

Decision Balance

1. What is good

about staying the

same?

2. What is bad about

staying the same?

3. If I changed,

things would be

worse because….

4. If I changed,

things would be

better because…

Decision Making

In pairs:

Practise "Four steps to guiding without telling."

Then swap over.

Practise Decision Balance.

First Meeting

• Deciding where to meet / how to find each other.

• Exchanging contact information.

• Putting your mentee at ease, initiating conversation

and providing information about where to find:

• places to eat/shop.

• cash machines.

• Hallam Help desks.

• the Students Union.

Starting a Conversation

Everyone is interested in something.

• Consider sharing some of your interests with your

mentee in your first communication and ask them to

respond with some of theirs.

Discussing a shared interest or finding out about

something new is a great way to start a conversation

and put your mentee at ease.

Knowing the Boundaries

Where do you Stand? (1)

Your mentee asks if you can come to their house for your

next meeting.

Where do you Stand? (2)

Your mentee asks you if they can have a copy of one of

your essays.

Where do you Stand? (3)

Your mentee asks you to help them write an essay they are

struggling with.

Where do you Stand? (4)

Your mentee asks if you can call their faculty helpdesk to

ask about an extension on an assignment.

Where do you Stand? (5)

Your mentee is having financial problems and asks if they

can borrow £20.

Key Boundaries of the Role

• Do not leave another student with a copy

(physical/electronic/photograph) of your work.

• Keep power as balanced as possible - don't lend money

as this causes a major imbalance (+ this is not your role!).

• Avoiding encouraging over dependence -

meeting/ communicating too often.

Your Personal Boundaries

• How often are you prepared to meet?

• Where are you comfortable meeting?

• What contact details are you happy to share?

• What times of day are you happy being contacted?

Never do anything you feel uncomfortable with.

Avoiding Text and Email Confusion

• Avoid using exclamation marks or full words in capitals.

• Appropriate use of emoji's.

• Using correct punctuation.

• Reading messages again before sending.

• Respond promptly to emails even if it just to acknowledge.

• Is it an appropriate issue to deal with in an email?

Alternative to Emails or Meeting in Person

• Telephone calls / video call.

• Instant messenger - i.e. Skype.

There may be many ongoing/transient reasons why

someone might not want to meet in person.

Concluding your Mentoring Relationship

• Decision to end.

• No contact.

• Friendship.

Confidentiality

In order to develop a successful mentoring relationship,

both mentor and mentee must feel that anything

discussed in meetings is kept private unless given

permission to share information by the other person.

If there are any concerns from either mentor/mentee

these should be discussed with your local mentoring

coordinator(s).

The only time confidentiality should be broken is if you

have an immediate concern for the safety of the

mentor/mentee or the safety of others.

Signposting and Who to Contact

You should signpost your mentee to Sheffield Hallam

specialist support services if they are having difficulties.

www.shu.ac.uk/current-students/student-support

You could take them where a service is located if you

feel comfortable doing so.

You can also speak to your local mentoring coordinator if

you have any concerns, ideally after seeking permission

from your mentee to do so.

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!!

Name one thing a mentor should do to

support someone?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (1)

Name one thing a mentor shouldn't do to

support someone?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (2)

What is one benefit of being a mentor?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (3)

Name one example of invisible diversity?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (4)

Name one thing you might talk about in your

first meeting with a student?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (5)

Name the five W's of open questioning?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (6)

Name one way of showing that you are

actively listening?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (7)

Name one of the questions in the decision

balance method?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (8)

Name one of the three key boundaries of

mentoring?

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (9)

Name one way of avoiding text and email

confusion

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (10)

Name one way of avoiding text and email

confusion

THE LIGHTNING ROUND!!! (10)

The winning team is...

THE LIGHTNING ROUND - WINNING TEAM

Any Questions?

Thank you for listening!

Electronic copies of resources/presentation:

go.shu.ac.uk/plmr