Program Overview
MentoringINDIA (MI) is a structured-formal School Based Mentoring Program where, Graduate Students from Higher Education Institutes such as IITs, NITs (mentors) provide mentoring to rural high school students (mentees). This is done by mentors’ regular visits to the schools, one-one phone calls and virtual group meetings where they engage with the mentees through discussions, audio-visuals, guided practise and interactive activities.
The primary objectives of MI are Personality Development (PD) of rural students and bringing change in their approach toward learning and education. PD generally refers to the Social, Emotional, Intellectual, Psychological developments of a person’s thoughts and actions. When these core developmental needs are addressed, we believe it will be possible to develop AIM (Aspiration Inspiration Motivation) in rural students to dream big.
The MI design is based on research findings which suggest that a combination of activities which promote long-term development; skill development that focus on immediate needs, can bring positive impact in the mentees. The details of curriculum and activities are available in the ‘Mentoring Content’ Tab.
Beneficiaries
Mentees (Rural High School Students)
- Personality Development & Skill development
- Meaningful learning opportunities
- Sense of Social Awareness
- Knowledge Gain
Mentors (Graduate Students from premier Higher Education Institutions)
- Opportunities for the Mentors to share their experience and expertise
- Opportunities to expand their network
- Personal Growth
- Opportunities to hone their Leadership Skills
- Make difference in somebody else’s life
- Enhanced Social Conscience
Methodology
Implementation is carried out using the following steps
Step 1: Create Awareness
In this step, we present the model to stakeholders and beneficiaries such as School Board, School Authorities, Funding Agency, Mentors, Teachers and Mentees
Objectives:
- Raise awareness about the program concept, implementation process, roles, responsibilities and expected outcome
- Collect input from schools related to implementation feasibility
- Collect input from schools and mentors related to willingness and availability to participate in the program implementation
Step 2: Mentor Training
In this step, mentors are given professional training to equip them to build successful relationships with mentees, interact and provide impactful mentoring. Mentors are also given training on soft skills necessary for providing mentoring in effective manner. Mentor Training will be provided by the experts in this area from India and other
countries
Objectives:
- To make sure the mentors are proficient in skills necessary for relationship building
- To make sure mentors understand the requirements and boundaries of mentoring
- To upskill them to successfully provide mentoring
- To give them the confidence that they are ready and that they are supported throughout the implementation period
- To clearly lay out their tasks and methods such that they feel ready for implementation
Refer to Mentor Training tab for more details
Step 3: Mentor-Mentee Connection
In this step, the participating mentors and the mentees are formally connected. They are given an orientation of what is expected during their interactions, objective and criteria for delivery of identified curriculum.
Objectives:
- To officially introduce the mentors and the mentees
- To raise awareness about the available support system, expectation from them and the objective of the connection
- To explain clearly the implementation process, timeline and boundaries
- To give a formal-positive start to building mentor-mentee relationship
Step 4: Mentoring
This is the most important step where the core of the program is executed. Mentors visit the mentees in school and train them in specific skills. They also meet offsite on phone and through virtual meeting. This helps with follow up and building trust.
Objectives:
- To train the mentees in specific identified skills (see mentoring content tab for details)
- To provide guidance and emotional support to mentees
- To establish a trusting relationship and provide exposure to academic and career related information
Step 5: Evaluation
This is usually the last step during an implementation process. But it starts at the beginning and data collection happens through out the implementation period. While some data is used for streamlining the implementation, others are used for analysing to see the effectiveness of the program.
Objectives:
- Smoothen implementation based on feedback data
- Analyse data to evaluate impact created by the program
- Make recommendations for future program building based on outcome
Mentoring Content
The Mentoring Content has been carefully chosen to suit the expertise of the mentor, needs of the rural Indian population and also the objective of the program. It has been designed based on feasibility, recommendations from previous research and our approach mentioned in the program overview.
Communication
Objective:
- Train the Mentees to communicate effectively both orally and in written form
- Train the Mentees to make presentation using the cognitive and non - cognitive aspects
of presentation skills
- To train the Mentees to construct presentation slides using Microsoft PowerPoint
Mode of Delivery : Presentation, Guided Exercise, Interactive Discussions, Audio Visual
Aids
Critical Thinking
Objective:
- Train the Mentees to develop Critical Thinking through scientific experiments
and technical demonstrations
- Teach the Mentees to construct a Mind Map as a problem solving tool
- Train the Mentees in Device Engineering so as to inculcate scientific temper
Mode of Delivery : Activities, Presentations, Hands on Learning, Guided Exercise,
Interactive Discussions, Audio Visual Aids
Social Awareness
Objective:
- Create awareness among the Mentees about the society and the social problems
- Teach the Mentees how to systematically approach a social problem using the problem
solving techniques
- Train the Mentees to initiate social change using effective communication, systematic
writing proposal for solving the identified problem
- Teach goal setting and the importance of team work
- Field Work at school and in the community
Mode of Delivery : Field Work, Games, Presentations, Guided Exercise, Discussions,
Audio Visuals
Mentor Training
Mentor Training is an unique and important aspect of this program.Prior to commencement of implementation, Mentors will be given 4 days formal training by professionals and experts on the training components mentioned below.
After the commencement, Teach To Learn will provide on-going training regularly as a form of reinforcement. These components are chosen for specifically enabling the mentors to provide mentoring for rural Indian adolescent youth.
Mentoring Relationship
Objective:
- To enable mentors to understand adolescent student psychology
- To teach the Mentors about trust building and relationship
Mentoring Process
Objective:
- To train the mentors to assess mentee needs
- To train the mentors to facilitate and guide mentees
- To make mentors aware of possible barriers and how to set boundaries in a mentoring relationship
Mentor Self-Enrichment
Objective:
- To train mentors in necessary soft skills (like time management, presentation, planning, organisation etc) for effective mentoring
- To train mentors in necessary leadership skills such as communication, problem solving etc
- To enable the mentors to asses their own progress and identify hurdles
