Here are some commonly asked questions posed by new mentors:
Absolutely not. Mentoring on an ABCN program does not require formal training, preparation or knowledge. Just by showing up you’re already halfway to changing a young person’s life. Your role is to act as a guide and role model – your input, thoughts, and experience will make the difference.
You don’t need to formally prepare but be ready to share your experiences, successes and failures as authentically as you can. You will be briefed before your session by one of our facilitators and the facilitator will guide you through the session. The week before each session, your program champion will send you a snapshot of what will be covered so you will be aware of what’s coming up.
An ABCN facilitator will be your guide for the whole program and will explain every step of each session. Mentors are never left out on a limb – you’re not the focus and you won’t be in the spotlight.
On a typical program you’ll be grouped with one or more colleagues and four or five students on a table. You will stay in these groups for the whole program.
This varies by program from a few hours to around 10 hours spread over many weeks. Some of our programs take place over three hours on one day only. Our multi-session programs require between one and two hours per week over a number of weeks. We ask that you commit to the whole program and that you are consistent in attending sessions.
Here are some top tips we’ve collected from some of the thousands of volunteer mentors who participate in ABCN programs each year:
For more information, speak to the ABCN program champion at your company.