CONNECT Mentor Toolbox
We recommend spending some time looking through the below tools and resources, which will help you to plan and structure your mentoring sessions, and guide your conversations with your mentee.
Your mentee will also have access to our online Career and Employability Platform, and you can watch a demo of this resource here.
For mentor access to the Career and Employability Platform, or if you have any suggestions for other resources we might include, please get in touch with Ronika Bhudia - ronikabhudia@sparkcharity.org.uk.
PREPARING FOR YOUR MENTEE
Safeguarding - what you need to know
Please read, sign and return our Safeguarding Policy Agreement and here's a reminder of the safeguarding dos & donts while working with your mentee. Please read this in advance of your 1st session.
Preparing for being a Mentor
A mentor wears many hats. Do you know them all, and what is expected of you during your mentoring sessions?
Running your first session
A selection of resources to help you through your first mentoring session. Activities include icebreakers, strength and weakness analysis, and goal setting tasks.
CONNECT Mentoring Action Plan
Please compete this action plan with your mentee in your first session and remember to share a copy with the Spark! mentoring team.
SELF-MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Building Resilience
Help your mentee to bounce back quicker and think more positively. Activities include ‘Door closed, Door open’, and ‘3 good things calendar’.
Time Management
Is your mentee a procrastinator? Are they always late to school, class, or even your mentoring sessions? This might be good focus for your next session!
Revision Support
If your mentee is feeling stressed about exams, guide them to study more successfully with these proven effective revision techniques.
Managing Stress
Being a teenager can be a stressful time. Help your mentee manage by teaching them techniques such as mindfulness and breathing exercises.
INTER-PERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
Working in a Team
Teamwork is a vital employability skill. Help your mentee to become an effective team member.
Leadership Skills
Guide your mentee to understand what good leadership looks like. Activities include differing leadership styles and how to be an effective leader.
Communication skills
Many young people struggle to express themselves verbally. Help your mentee to develop this with activities such as formal vs non formal language, and insights into body language.
Public Speaking
Help your mentee to build their confidence with these public speaking practice activities.
WORK READINESS
Professional Writing Skills
Many young people struggle with how to write something professional, such as an email or cover letter. These activities and guidance will help your mentee to develop this skill.
Writing a CV
Help your mentee structure and write a CV . If they have one already, you can provide feedback and suggestions on improvements.
Writing Cover Letters
If your mentee is thinking about applying for a job, they will most likely need to write a supporting cover letter.
Exploring Careers
Help your mentee to explore career options and opportunities based around their interests and strengths.
Interview Skills
Support your mentee by helping them prepare for interviews with the STAR technique and sample questions and answers.
UCAS APPLICATIONS
Is your mentee hoping to apply for university? Here is some guidance about how the UK’s university application system (UCAS) works, including UCAS Tariff points and entry requirements.
ENDING YOUR MENTORING
Reflect and feedback
Look back over your mentoring together and reflect on how things went with this ‘Reflect and Feedback’ activity.
After mentoring action plan
Your mentoring doesn’t have to end here. Help your mentee to create an ‘After mentoring’ plan so that they can continue to follow your guidance in the future.
