BABESA HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL

THIMPHU THROMDE

School Mentoring Programme Guidelines

2023

“To produce responsible, resourceful and dedicated citizens through quality education.”

School Mentoring Programme 2023

Guidelines and Instructions

 Overview

Every individual is unique and makes a significant contribution to the betterment of the world. A person has an innate goodness and when provided with an appropriate environment for growth, he/she manifests as an infinite source of potential to realize all dreams and aspirations.

Schools play an important role in realizing this innate potential and programmes like Mentoring in the schools has the power to impact young minds who are in their journey of finding themselves. It facilitates and provides a nurturing environment for every child to grow into a healthy, resilient and competent individual.

Many studies and experimental sharing have pointed out that having a caring adult to talk to, trust and feel cared for at school not only increases attendance but also enhances academic performance, thereby calling for a need to have positive relationships and communications with the children. Such positive connections help the children to navigate their way through the life challenges and adverse experiences. An effective mentoring programme offers an ideal opportunity to facilitate the children towards resilience and growth by providing warmth, guidance and support. Research has pointed out that involvement in consistent, long-term, well-supervised relationships with adults can yield a wide range of tangible benefits for youth, including improved grades and family relationships and decreased alcohol and drug use (Sunnambala, 2021). Thus, considering the positive outcomes of such programmes in schools, the institution of mentoring programmes has become imperative.

Mentoring is an act or process of helping and guiding another person so that they reach can reach their full potential, enhance their abilities and thrive towards self-actualization.

Mentoring programmes circle around trust. As trust is fostered and developed between mentor and mentee, students grow through this healing and rewarding relationship.  

A Mentor is an adult who guides and supports the mentee in their learning journey. They may provide instruction, inspiration, emotional support and role modeling to a mentee while sharing knowledge about their career and academic path.

A Mentee is a person who does not have enough experience in a particular area, seeks guidance from another person, and can also engage in self-mentoring.

All teachers in a school serve in the capacity of a Mentor.

A positive mentor-mentee relationship:

• Focuses on the needs of the students,
• Models and fosters a positive and confident outlook on life,
• Supports students in managing their own behavior,
• Encourage and develop positive student attitudes and outlooks,
• Be respectful and non-judgmental of young people,
• Be reliable and committed to the mentoring program.
• Understand and respect the boundaries of the mentoring program

Objectives of Mentoring Programme

The mentoring programme in schools aim to create an enabling environment that provides the mentees with a platform to nourish their innate potential, form positive relationships, build confidence, develop resilience and character while navigating their way through the challenges and adverse experiences of adolescence. The mentoring programme generates feelings of positivity, contributes to academic excellence and builds a sense of agency in the mentees, ultimately assisting the mentees in becoming a physically, cerebrally, socially, emotionally, and spiritually healthy individual.

Composition of the Mentor-Mentee Group

• The mentoring programme shall be initiated for all students in the school.
• The school administration will allocate the students into the mentor-mentee group by dividing the total number of students by the total number of school staff including the Principal, Vice Principal(s) and the School Counselor;
• However, the ESP/GSP staff and administration assistant will be excluded for the mentoring programme
• The mentees shall be allocated to the mentors randomly, maintaining an equal composition in terms of grade, gender and numbers;
• A student co-mentor shall be nominated based on the ability to assist the Mentor;
• A student shall remain in the same mentor-mentee group till he/she graduates or exits from the school in order to understand each other better and for greater bonding and a sense of belongingness;
• The new students shall be allocated to different mentor-mentee groups, considering an equal composition in terms of grade, gender and numbers;

Mentoring Sessions

• The mentoring sessions shall happen in group as well as individually.  
• In group mentoring, mentors will meet their mentees in their respective mentor-mentee groups. Group mentoring sessions encourage mentees to work collaboratively and support each other;
• In individual mentoring, the mentor meets the mentees individually, in a one-to-one setting. Individual mentoring enables mentoring to be personalized to the individual students;
• The group mentoring session shall take once a week and mentoring session time shall be formally structured in the school’s regular timetable. The group mentoring sessions can be convened more than once a week depending upon the requirements of the situation.  
• No structured time shall be allotted for the individual mentoring sessions. It can happen as and when required depending on the need of the individual mentees;
• E-Mentoring shall also be employed as needed and appropriate. E-Mentoring is when technology is used to connect the mentors and mentees. It aids in overcoming the barriers of location and time;
• The mentor may refer their mentee(s) to the School Guidance Counselor if the issue is beyond the capacity of the mentor;
• Hold Group mentoring session with parents of the mentees once in a year
• Have one-to-one sessions with the parents of the mentees as and when deemed necessary for the purpose of providing additional guidance and support to the mentees.

Activities for mentor-mentee group

• Each mentor will thrive for the holistic growth of their mentees.
• The mentor mentee relationship is built on the foundation of trust and begins with the mentor collecting the back stories of their mentees. The mentors may employ appropriate strategies/methods to collect backstories. Listening to the backstories of the mentees offer mentors a starting point for understanding each of their mentees’ journeys and life experiences. It helps them to understand each mentee’s concerns/needs and plan and facilitate the development of goals and actions for their growth.
• Set goals and design action plans based on the strengths/needs informed by the backstories of mentees.
• The mentor and mentees are encouraged to employ their ingenuity and imaginative powers to devise creative and innovative engagement activities that helps to achieve the goals set for each mentee.
• Develop a comprehensive profile for each mentee.
• The Mentor shall maintain a record of every group as well as individual mentoring sessions (template attached).
• A mentee induction program should be held to prepare students for the mentoring program and encourage their active participation in the program.
• Partner with parents/guardians of mentees as partnership with significant people in the mentees’ life is central to the success of the mentoring process.
• While mentors guide and facilitate the journey of growth, it is ultimately the mentees who must take responsibility for their own journey of growth.

Stages of the Mentoring Programme

Mentoring programs at the school shall generally consists of 3 broad stages with a beginning, middle and end. Each stage contributes to the mentoring relationship and requires thought and planning on behalf of both mentors and mentees.

Beginning – Developing rapport and building trust

During this stage, mentors and mentees begin to develop a trusting relationship based on openness, mutual respect and honesty. The following activities may be carried out in this phase:

• Induction on the mentoring program.
• Setting in-house rules for all mentoring sessions.
• Mentoring action plan.
• Activities that are themed on knowing each other
• Collecting backstories of the mentees through the use of different strategies in order to understand their mentees better.
• Mentee Profiling.
• Developing long and/or short-term goals for each mentee.

Intermediate– Working towards goals (Grooming)

During this stage, the mentors and mentees work towards achieving the goals developed during the initial stage. Mentors and mentees should regularly review strategies and track their progress towards achieving their goals. Adjustments should be made when required.

Adjourning – Reflecting and ending

This stage provides an important opportunity for the mentor and mentees to chart their growth and reflect on learnings they have had from the mentoring programme.

All mentoring relationships formally conclude at the end of the mentoring programme which shall happen when the students graduate or exit from the school. This maybe done through some form of simple celebrations and the parents of the mentees may also be part of it as deemed appropriate.  

Roles and responsibilities of the Mentor

Mentors play an important role in fostering a positive and authentic relationship with their mentees. Hence, mentors are expected to:

• Create a trusting and enabling environment in the group to ensure that each member feels comfortable and confident to share their concerns and issues and accordingly seek help to resolve them;
• Facilitate the development of the in-house rules of conduct and etiquettes for smooth flow of mentoring sessions
• Nominate and appoint a student co-mentor for each mentor-mentee session;
• Collect the backstories of the mentees employing various strategies/methods as convenient to develop a mentee profile;
• Provide the required leadership and guidance in preparing and planning of mentor-mentee programme or activities;
• Guide the mentees to set goals and work towards achieving their goals;
• Maintain updated records of the mentoring sessions/activities initiated in the group;
• Maintain proper attendance record of the mentoring sessions (template attached);
• Create a platform within the mentor-mentee group to resolve issues related to personal and academic matters through interventions that are designed collectively by the group;
• Liaise between the mentees and parents/school administration/class teachers and other relevant personnel or agencies for the holistic development of the mentees;
• Hold session with the parents of the mentees once in a year to share and discuss the progress and supports required for the holistic development of the mentees;
• Share/present reflections & best practices on the mentoring program/sessions/activities at the end of the year;
• Model leadership, patience, tolerance, resilience, resourcefulness, responsibility, visioning, foresight, dynamism to address issues at the mentor-mentee level instead of haste referral of issues to the School Guidance Counselor and/or other third parties; and
• Serve as the pivot of the mentoring programme and make conscious efforts to make the mentoring programme a dynamic, rewarding and successful initiative.

Roles and Responsibilities of Student Co-mentor

• Assist the Mentor in the overall planning of activities within the group.
• Assist the Mentor in the effective implementation of the mentoring activities planned for the year; and
• Collaborate closely with the Mentor in the effective and successful functioning of the mentoring group; and

Roles and Responsibilities of Mentee

• Provide their Backstories to provide clear profile of them and their background;
• Set clear goal and priorities for the year with the guidance of their mentors.
• Write short reflections after every session focusing on their set goals and priorities, new learning/insights, challenges, achievements and other experiences
• Participate and cooperate wholeheartedly in all mentoring activities of the group;  
• Follow the in-house rules and etiquettes of the group at all times.
• Respect each other in their group and keep sensitive matters confidential.
• Provide positive support to each other in the mentor-mentee group.
• Communicate honestly, openly and share ideas
• Be willing to listen and take on board constructive feedback and advice

Mentoring Skills

• Helping skills
• Communication skills
• Psychological First Aid
• Coaching and mentoring skills
• Life skills
• Empathy
• Motivation and encouragement
• Negotiation skills
• Time management skills
• Creativity
• Providing corrective/constructive feedback
• Connection before correction

Code of Conduct for mentoring

The code of conduct for mentoring is essential for its effective implementation of mentoring programme in the schools. The Code of Conduct provide guidelines for the behavior of both the mentor and mentee, which can give both parties more confidence and a clear understanding of what is expected of them in a mentoring relationship.

Confidentiality: Having a safe space for the mentees to try out different ideas and share concerns is vital for a positive mentor-mentee relationship. The mentor shall maintain confidentiality and respect the information shared by the mentees and use the information to only help the mentees for their personal development. However, confidentiality may be breached in cases where the mentor feels that the mentee or someone else is in danger. In such cases referral to relevant professionals and stakeholders will be considered based on the nature and severity of the concern.

Professional boundary: Professional boundary shall be maintained between the mentor and mentees. The members in the mentor-mentee group shall not misuse or take undue advantage of the information shared by the members for any personal advantage and in ways that are damaging to the individual mentee.

Non-judgmental: The mentor shall respect the uniqueness and honor the integrity of their mentees and influence him/her through constructive feedback. Any dealings and tasks undertaken with the mentees shall be done in a non-judgmental manner in order to build positive relationships founded on trust and respect.

Follow referral protocol: In the case of mentees requiring professional support, follow school counselling referral protocol.

Positive discipline: There may be instances when mentee’s behavior maybe unacceptable.

In such cases, the mentor shall employ helpful positive disciplining methods or interventions instead of resorting to corporal punishment or other unhelpful and harsh forms of punishment.

Conflict/issues between Mentor and Mentee: In case of any issues between the mentor and a mentee, a relevant authority or a committee in the school shall examine the issue for appropriate intervention.

Annexure 1:  Mentee Profiling

Mentee Profile

Date of Birth:                                                        Class/Sec:

Personal contact no (if you have):

Student code:

Previous school:                                                Village and Dzongkhag:

Father’s name:                                                        Mother’s name:

Occupation:                                                        Occupation:

Contact no:                                                        Contact no:

Parental status:        single parents/both parents/living with guardians/parents deceased/others

Present address:

Hobbies:                                                        My idol:

Specify any medical conditions:

What I fear the most:

I am happiest when:

My favorite subject and why?

My least favorite subject and why?

My strengths and weaknesses

What changes do you want to see in yourself at the end of the year? How can you achieve that?

Name:                                                                Sex:

Annexure 2:  Attendance Record

Annexure 3:  Record of Mentoring Sessions

Annexure 4: Suggestive Topics for Mentoring Programme

Annexure 5: Guide to Micro-Practices

Cultivating Mindfulness

Dear Mentors,

Before you begin the micro-practice ensure that there is calmness in the room. Check that the mind is calm. Let them settle down. Correct posture must be maintained. Let all focus on breathing. Do the demonstration. Then only let your mentees practice it. Please teach them the benefits of doing it and when to apply it.

1. Three Breaths micro practice (3 minutes)

Benefits: This is something that you can do even in just three breaths–to refresh, to be more present, to get off of the autopilot mode and to make a choice about what to do next.

• First breath: Bring your attention to the process of breathing.
• Second breath: Let the body relax
• Third breath: Ask, what’s most important now?

Let the little ones do that now, at their own pace. (Pause for everyone to do three breaths practice)

2. Shift to connection micro practice (3 minutes)

Benefits: Restores a sense of connection with others.

• In the first breath, settle the mind.
• Second, think of a person who is not near you but is important for you. Bring that person to mind.
• Third, offer kindness (Wish him/her happiness, relieve from pain, success, goodness…)

Let our mentees practice this to connect with others who are away and who are suffering or in pain. Tell them that such practices will help them to connect and offer kindness.

3. Minute to Arrive (3 minutes)

Benefits: Helps individuals to be fully present in any important life events.

Practicing ‘Minute to Arrive’ is to give a minute of silence at the start of the mentoring session for everyone to take a few breaths and be fully present.

4. Hands on Chair (3 minutes)

Benefits: Helps us to stay aligned to our moment–to-moment experience

When you arrive in your class, school, or an important session like this touch and feel the chair. If you are on the floor or anywhere just touch the surface, feel it. As you do, let the feeling be a mental cue to remember what your highest intention is for how you show up with others.

5. Head, Body, Heart check-in (3 minutes)

Benefits: It is focused specifically on creating a moment of higher-resolution self-awareness. This can be useful before presentations or important conversations when you need to quickly discern what kind of mental and emotional state you’re in and how to best proceed.

Head body and heart Script

• Let’s begin by sitting in a way that feels comfortable, alert, and relaxed.
• You may close your eyes or keep them slightly open, unfocused, looking down a few meters in front of you.
• Start by taking 3 deep breaths.
• Gently bring your awareness to the breathing.
• Notice your inn and out breath, and the spaces in between.

[Pause]

Emotional Scan (2 min)

See if you are experiencing any emotion in your body right now. What are the physical sensations you feel with that emotion?  If you are not experiencing any strong emotion right now, then notice what that feels like.

[Pause]

Experience slight physical movement (2 min)

Let’s explore what happens when we make a slight physical movement. Bring your attention to your face. Let’s make a half-smile. Just raise the edges of your mouth slightly, resulting in a half-smile. Notice how this feels. Does smiling change the way you feel?  Now, think about someone you care about. Imagine them well and happy, smiling at you. What do you experience? If feelings of satisfaction or happiness arise, where in your body do you notice these?

[Pause]

Returning to grounding (1.5 min)

• Now bring your attention back to your breath. Breathing in and breathing out.
• And let's just settle the mind here.

Let’s now spend a few minutes sitting quietly. Notice what it’s like to be breathing, sitting on a chair.