2009 NOAC Session L301 Being A Mentor
Session Length: 75 Minutes
Learning objectives:
§ What a Mentor is
§ Types of Mentors
§ Why do we need Mentors
§ Difference between Advisors and Mentors
§ The role of Mentors
§ How to become a Mentor
§ Mentoring at the lodge level
Required Materials:
§ Flipcharts
§ Power Point presentation file
§ Power Point projector
Trainer preparation
Trainers should have a complete understanding of youth protection training as taught by BSA. Review the complete syllabus and think about your own experiences in scouting and how you have made a difference in the personal development of youth.
Trainer Tip: The trainer should introduce him/herself and the topic to the audience. They should provide information on there Scouting, Order of the Arrow and any other Real Life experience they deem appropriate.
Session narrative
Introduction: 15-20- Minutes
What is a Mentor?
[look for answers in audience]
[trainer may want to put answers on flip chart]
Mentoring—from the Greek word meaning enduring—is defined as a sustained relationship between a youth and an adult. Through continued involvement, the adult offers support, guidance, and assistance as the younger person goes through a difficult period, faces challenges, or works to correct earlier problems.
[match some of the answers on flip chart to definition]
There are two types of mentoring, natural mentoring and planned mentoring.
1. Natural mentoring occurs through friendship, collegiality, teaching, coaching, and counseling.
2. Planned mentoring occurs through structured programs in which mentors and participants are selected and matched through formal processes.
As advisors in the Order of the Arrow we use the natural mentoring approach
Mentoring programs generally serve the following broad purposes:
Educational or academic, helps mentored youth improve their overall academic achievement.
Career, helps mentored youth to develop the necessary skills to enter a career path.
Personal development, gives guidance to mentored youth in the areas of decision making and personal or social development.
As advisors in the Order of the Arrow our purpose is personal development mentoring.
Who were some of your mentors?
How did they influence you?
[look for answers in audience]
Difference between an advisor and mentor?
[look for audience interaction]
Role of the Advisor:
1. To help fulfill the lodge mission.
2. Guidance and support, helping to achieve goals, provide and recognize resources, suggest alternatives and possible solutions.
3. Help facilitate communications with other adults.
4. Provide opportunities to develop personal leadership skills.
[Doesn’t # 4 sound like mentoring?]
This session is developed to enhance that one key area
Inspirational Portion: 5- Minutes
"I'll tell you what makes a great manager: A great manager has a knack for making ballplayers think they are better than they think they are. He forces you to have a good opinion of yourself. He lets you know he believes in you. He makes you get more out of yourself. And once you learn how good you really are, you never settle for playing anything less than your very best." Reggie Jackson
Let’s rewrite Reggie Jackson’s quote to put it more into context.
“I’ll tell you what makes a great mentor: A great mentor has a knack for making youth think they are better than they think they are. He forces a youth to have a good opinion of himself. He lets the youth know he believes in him. He makes the youth get more out of himself. And once the youth learns how really good he is, he will never settle for being anything less than his very best.” Anonymous
Mentoring: 15- Minutes
A good mentor possesses the following qualities:
1. Willingness to share skills, knowledge, and expertise.
A good mentor is willing to teach what he/she knows and accept the mentee where they currently are in there personal development and age level. Good mentors can remember what it was like when they were the same age. The good mentor does not take the mentoring relationship lightly, and understands that good mentoring requires time and commitment and is willing to share information and their ongoing support with the mentee.
2. Demonstrate a positive attitude and acts as a positive role model.
A good mentor exhibits the personal attributes it takes to be successful. By showing the mentee what it takes to be productive and successful, they are demonstrating the specific behaviors and actions to succeed in their position.
3. Takes a personal interest in the mentoring relationship.
Good mentors do not take their responsibility as a mentor lightly. They feel invested in the success of the mentee. Usually this requires someone who is knowledgeable, compassionate, and possesses the attributes of a good teacher or trainer. Excellent communication skills are also a requirement. A good mentor is committed to helping their mentee find success and gratification in their position. Overall good mentoring requires empowering the mentee to develop their own strengths, beliefs, and attributes.
4. Exhibits enthusiasm
A mentor who does not exhibit enthusiasm about the position will ultimately not make a good mentor. Enthusiasm is catching and the youth want to feel their job has meaning and the potential to make a difference.
5. Value ongoing learning and growth in the position.
Mentors are in a position to illustrate how the position is growing and changing and that after time there are still new things to learn and new challenges to conquer. When starting out in a new position, youth want to feel that the time and energy spent learning will be rewarded and will ultimately provide them with a sense of accomplishment. A good mentor is committed and open to experimenting and new ideas that the youth may have.
6. Provide guidance and constructive feedback.
One of the key responsibilities of a good mentor is to provide guidance and constructive feedback to their mentee. This is where the mentee will most likely grow the most by identifying their strengths and weaknesses and learning how to use these to make themselves successful in the position. A good mentor possess excellent communication skills and is able to adjust their communication to the personality style of the mentee. A good mentor will also provide the mentee with challenges that will foster development and a feeling of accomplishment in the position.
7. Respected by other advisors and arrowman in the Order of the Arrow.
Ideally mentees look up to their mentors and can see themselves filling the mentor’s role in the future. Mentees want to follow someone who is well respected by others in the OA and whose contributions are appreciated.
8. Sets and meets his own personal and organizational goals.
A good mentor continually sets a good example by showing how his/her personal habits are reflected by personal and organizational goals and overall success.
9. Values the opinions and initiatives of others.
A mentor who values others is also someone who works well in a team environment and is willing to share his/her success. A good mentor appreciates the ongoing efforts of the mentee and empowers him through positive feedback and reinforcement.
10. Motivates others by setting a good example.
[short break if needed 5 minutes]
Mentoring Is: 10- Minutes
A. Ongoing
1. Not just a one-time event or a single conversation.
2. Connotes that a trusted relationship develops and grows.
3. Draws from the participants’ experience over time.
B. Individual
1. Typically not a group activity.
2. Specifically tailored to the strengths and ability level of the mentee.
3. Reflects the style of the mentee.
C. Supportive
1. The types and extent of support may vary widely.
2. What are the types/contexts of mentoring relationships?
Scoutmaster, patrol leader, OA advisor, coach, team captain, teacher, academic advisor, employer/supervisor.
3. What mentoring relationships exist (or could exist) in the lodge?
Lodge and Chapter advisors, committee advisors, dance team advisor, event or activity advisor.
Creating the mindset of a mentor: 5- Minutes
1. Make youth development the top priority.
2. Limit who you take on.
3. Develop a relationship before starting out.
4. Give help unconditionally.
5. If needed use the, I do you watch, you do I watch, you do, approach.
Inspirational Portion: 5- Minutes
"If you treat a person as he appears to be, you make him worse than he is. But if you treat a person as if he already were what he potentially could be, you make him what he should be." Goethe
[discuss with class]
Conclusion: 5- Minutes
As a mentor I will
A. Build
B. Listen
C. Teach
D. Commit
E. Challenge
[discuss how to take this back to the lodge]
Appendix: Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who wrote this syllabus for the 2009 NOAC?
A1: Richie Ferolo,
Bill Schildknecht,
Appendix: Recommended flipcharts/Slides
The following is a recommended list of flip chart pages that can be used for visual presentation.
Appendix: Source materials and resouces
2008 – 2012 Order of the Arrow Strategic Plan
http://www.oa-bsa.org/programs/splan/
2008 Order of the Arrow Field Operations Guide
http://www.oa-bsa.org/resources/pubs/FOG-2008.pdf
Order of the Arrow Page 8 of 8 Boy Scouts of America