Mentoring
Reviewed: February 2008
This page has been kept for reference.
It will no longer be updated by ICVET.
Mentoring is a mutually beneficial relationship which involves a more experienced person helping a less experienced person to achieve their goals. Usually undertaken on a one-to-one basis, mentoring fosters growth and supports the development of a person towards their fullest potential. A mentoring relationship can be formal (structured) or informal (ad-hoc), a peer relationship or a manager/subordinate relationship. Essentially, the mentee learns from someone (the mentor) who has 'worn the same shoes and travelled the same path'; who knows the organisation and is known within the organisation, and is in the position to be a champion for the less experienced person. The mentor gains through developing as a leader, by being personally involved in the development of another person, and by having the opportunity to reflect on their own skills and practices and to grow from the experience.
While mentoring is often associated with coaching, there are key differences between the two. Mentoring is taken to be a process that involves the 'transfer of wisdom' and is directed towards the personal and professional development and/or career and educational development of a person, whereas coaching tends to relate to a technical, skills-related, work-associated learning. In a mentoring relationship, mentors are facilitators that allow their mentee to discover their own direction whereas a coach has a set agenda to reinforce or change skills and behaviours.
Within VET, a mentoring program is a framework for
- the growth and development of leaders
- the transmission of cultural values and norms to newer managers, head teachers and teachers
- supporting better recruitment, career advancement and the retention of skilled and dedicated teachers
- succession planning as mentoring allows skills and knowledge to be passed down, for example, from a head teacher to an aspiring head teacher
Mentoring programs also benefit students. Research shows that 'the introduction of a mentoring framework in an educational institution will enhance students' performance outcomes and reduce attrition.' (NCVER) Motivation increases, students become more independent and critical thinking improves. Mentoring can also be an effective learning tool that helps to stimulate thinking by the student about potential future employment options.
Websites
Tiered
mentoring: Benefits for first year students, upper level students,
and professionals
An overview of a Tiered Mentoring Program (TMP) at Griffith University that outlines the practical issues and strategies employed. The TMP linked students with peers and professionals via a tiered structure whereby first year students were mentored by upper level students who were in turn mentored by professionals in the students’ field
of study.
A guide to mentoring students
The Government of Canada website provides information necessary to mentor students such as what mentoring is, what mentors do, qualities they need and how does mentoring benefit the student.
The Peer Resources Network: Mentoring - A community of wisdom
This site contains an array of information, includes tips from mentoring experts, online papers, links to other related sites and a list of publications which seems almost endless. Take the 15 question survey to find out your mentoring potential! Some of the resources are restricted to members, but there is a considerable amount of free-to-access material.
Synergetic People Development
This is the website of Synergetic and Ann Rolfe-Flett, a renowned author, career counsellor and trainer with an extensive background in mentoring. Check out the mentoring subsection on the side menu for straightforward information on what is mentoring, what to expect, program design and program implementation. Sign up for the free newsletter!
The Mentoring Group
Check out the mentoring tips on the home page and the articles in the archive section on the side menu. Here you will find a variety of topics including distance mentoring, being strategic about mentoring, helping mentees to do research, creating or revising your personal vision.
Women's Ways Of Mentoring
Challenging old beliefs with new thinking! Old Rule - Mentors and mentees should have a lot in common. New Rule - The best matches are mismatches.
Fast Company is a publication, which features Women’s Ways of Mentoring. Readers can view an issue online or go to other copies on archives.
Mentoring
From the Free Management Library, this webpage contains a comprehensive listing of links to everything you ever wanted to know about mentoring! The sub categories include descriptions of mentoring, being a mentor, getting a mentor and setting up a mentoring program. So little time and so much to read!
Educational Leadership – The Good Mentor
An extract from James Rowley’s book, The Good Mentor, he states that many teachers remember their first year in the classroom as a difficult and lonely time. Rowley talks about mentoring and what makes a good mentor: commitment, acceptance, educationally skilled, effective communicator and a model of a continuous learner.
WILES Mentoring Program
This PDF is a newsletter from the AUSTRAC WILES Pilot Mentor program. The newsletter includes a case study on the experiences of a mentor and mentee, along with the article 'Questions Are Answers' by Ann Rolfe- Flett which examines the importance of good questioning skills in a mentoring relationship.
Coach, Mentor: Is there a difference?
Is there any difference between the role of a coach and a mentor? For the author of this article, the answer is a definite yes! Under the microscope are the two roles, the relationship with the other person, sources of influence and the personal return on investment.
The Australian Mentor Centre
The Australian Mentor Centre is a new organisation started specifically for the purposes of bringing together the Australian mentoring community. While the website is primarily designed for members there is a listing of upcoming events and workshops, and a free mailing list you can join.
Publications
BOND, A 1999, Student mentoring: Promoting high achievement and low attrition in education and training, NCVER, Australia.
This report considers how mentoring and mentor-like schemes can be developed by educational providers for the benefit of student learning and can be ordered from NCVER.
LEONTIOS, Maria, McMahon, Anne, Fakhourai, Norma, Stallard, Lynne & Johnson, Susanne 1998, Mentoring Pilot Program Evaluation Report, Sydney Institute of Technology & Professional Development Network.
The Sydney Institute and Training and Development Directorate piloted a six month mentoring program in 1998 for twenty women employed at Sydney Institute of Technology, ranging from managers, teachers, administrative and educational support staff. A work-based learning strategy involving an Action Learning approach utilised the experience and skills of staff to enhance the learning of individuals both professionally and personally.
MEGGINSON, D & Clutterbuck, D 1995, Mentoring in Action – A Practical Guide for Managers, Kogan Page, London.
This book contrasts the UK and US approaches to mentoring and suggests a code of ethics for mentoring. The book includes case studies from a range of organisations as well as individual cases. The authors conclude with trends for the future of mentoring.
ROLFE-FLETT, A 2002, Mentoring in Australia: A practical guide, Pearson Education, Australia.
This practical book guides you through the mentoring process. It includes sample reports and proformas, and case studies to help you identify what works and what doesn’t. The author’s aim is to help you develop the best, the most effective, and the most rewarding mentoring program within your organisation.
ROLFE-FLETT, A 1998, Develop Your Mentoring Skills, Synergetic Management Pty Ltd, Sydney.
With the demand for mentoring as a development strategy the need to develop mentoring skills has never been greater. This book includes topics such as: An understanding of mentoring in the modern context and, descriptions of ways mentoring is used.
SCC, 1997, Peer-mentoring in tertiary education: A review of programs, NCVER, Australia.
Against a background of increased competition for public money in an open training market, it is imperative that TAFE becomes sharply client focused. Analysis of current practice in a sample of tertiary institutions both in Australia and overseas suggests that a system of peer-mentoring is a cost-effective method of improving student learning and increasing retention rates. The report of the Student Services Committee suggests a process for establishing a peer support program in Australian tertiary education institutions and can be ordered from NCVER.
SCUTT, J 1995, Living Generously; Women Mentoring Women. Artemis, Victoria
Role models and mentors: Women do have them – all around. So many women recognise the importance of other women in their lives: the support of grandmothers, mothers, sisters, aunts, the woman down the road, the next door neighbour, the school principal.
This book tells through the voices of women such as: Joan Kirner, Joyce Nicholson and Natasha Stott-Despoja, the ways in which women support women and reciprocate in kind, living lives of generosity and so creating generous lives.
STONE, F 2004, The Mentoring Advantage: Creating the next generation of leaders, Dearborn Trade, a Kaplan Professional Company, Chicago.
Award-winning business author Florence Stone outlines how executives, managers, and employees can get the very most out the mentoring relationship. She details specific behaviours that mentors require, as well as others they should avoid. The book also includes assessment tools, checklists, templates, case studies, and tips.
TAFE NSW, Professional Development Network , 2003,
Mentoring Strategy for Teachers Going Online Australia.
This manual was produced as part of the Online Project PD Strategy to support teachers going online via a mentoring program. Mentoring is a cost effective, flexible learning strategy that is carried out by practitioners within the workplace.
See also
Buddies Mentor Training Program - promotes self-esteem and confidence for People with Disabilities PROFILE | eZine February 2007