University of Helsinki group mentoring programme autumn 2016 – spring 2017
Mentoring contract
In group mentoring, a mentor mentors a small group of actors. The actors discuss the questions that they wish to focus on during the mentoring process. The group must collectively identify their aims and the contents of their activities and work as a team that shares the responsibility for mentoring together, even though individual actors may also have various mentoring goals of their own. During group mentoring, actors receive peer support from each other in addition to support from the mentor.
The starting point for mentoring is always provided by the goals set by actors. In group mentoring, each actor determines his/her personal goals already during the application stage. Why do I want to take part in mentoring? What do I expect from it?
Based on the Florida State University Model. Sampson J. et al. (2004) and Watts A.G. (2006)
When setting the goals and themes to be discussed in the group, it should be noted that career skills are based on self-knowledge (competence areas, motivation, goals, personality) and opportunity awareness (the requirements and expectations of the labour market, trends, employability aspects). Mentoring may also be of great value in actors´ personal decision making- and action planning processes. Actors may have a lot of questions regarding job hunting in practice, and taking time to consider these is valuable. However, it is not advisable to concentrate only on the top part of the triangle, but all the respective parts should be given attention to.
The goup´s goals are to be stated on this mentoring contract.
The actors´goals for the group are:
Meetings: when and where?
The mentoring group should meet about once a month, a minimum of four times.
It is important that the topics of each group session are planned in advance. This way, the mentor and the actors can orient themselves for the session, and the time together is not spent “just chatting”. The sessions can be informal, but planning guarantees that there is enough time to discuss the topics agreed upon together. The main responsibility for planning each session lies with the actors.
How many times are we going to meet? The timetable for our meetings.
Where will we meet?
What do we agree about cancelling/ rescheduling meetings (if need be)?
If we eat/ drink during our meetings, do we all pay for our own beverages?
The topics of each group session are planned in advance. How much in advance will the mentor be notified about the themes for each session? Or do we set the themes for the next session at every meeting?
Confidentiality
A group mentoring group observes confidentiality. Group discussions may not be disclosed to outsiders without mutual agreement. A mentor or an actor needs to give his/her consent before an opinion, question, or concern presented by him/her can be shared with outsiders.
What kind of content may be shared outside the group? Or does everything stay inside the group?
Limitations
Does any actor or does the mentor wish to limit any specific subjects/ themes to be left out of the discussions?
Other things to agree upon
Is there anything else we should agree upon as a group? What about communication within the group during the mentoring programme/ channels to be used? (e.g. a closed facebook-group? Phone numbers? e-mail addresses? whatsapp?)
The time and place for the first meeting?
Decide in your group, how to share the document you have just created amongst yourselves (be it on paper or a digital version of the document) J
Have a good journey!
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