Module VI: How to ensure an effective mentoring process?

Managing and monitoring tools.

The templates for special managing and monitoring tools (mandatory and optional) are developed to ensure the effective mentoring process. To help Mentor to become fully-aware about all these tools, which could be used during the mentoring sessions, the common document "The list of the managing and monitoring tools“ is developed and could be found here . This document will give a Mentor the instructions on which tools are mandatory and which are optional as well as who is responsible for filling in and uploading of those documents to the e-Platform. Uploading functionality is activated only for Manager and Mentor".

Effective e-teamwork

It is very important to keep e-teamwork effective from start to end. The more effective the work is the more results the Mentees will receive. Most probably in pair mentoring, it is easier to keep effective e-teamwork ongoing because the Mentor can totally concentrate on one Mentee. The suggested structure agenda of an e-Mentoring session will help to keep the e-teamwork effective and is described in Module V.

In group mentoring, some Mentees may be more active and eager than others. In order to keep the group keen, the Mentor can give some homework for the Mentees or ask them to provide some information for the whole group. This homework must be naturally in line with the goals the Mentees wish to achieve. Homework and other information will be reviewed during the next mentoring session. The homework can be done by doing self-directed learning exercises on OER Employability or Entrepreneurship or it can be based on the Mentee’s special needs in achieving her/his goals.

During e-Mentoring sessions, the Mentor will observe that each Mentee has a possibility to talk or chat as much as the others and that all of them have the same possibility to develop their goals. The Mentor is the group leader and facilitator on various topics and the one who keeps the e-teamwork spirit high.

How to solve conflicts and problems in remote e-Mentoring

There may occur, however, all kinds of challenges in remote mentoring. There may be very different personalities in the group or pair mentoring. Maybe some of the Mentees in group mentoring will not regularly attend e-Mentoring sessions or they will completely ‘disappear’. Some of them may expect that the Mentor solves all of their problems. Some of the Mentees may talk all the time so that the others have no possibility to talk at all during e-Mentoring sessions etc. It is also possible that in remote e-Mentoring the relationship between the Mentor and the Mentee(s) may remain more distant than in purely face-to-face mentoring. And naturally: life situations may change especially during a long mentoring process.

In case the Mentor notices a conflict or a problem, it is recommended that he/she first discusses it together with the group of Mentees or the individual Mentee. In case there is no improvement, he/she should contact the Manager of the mentoring process. The Manager is the primary contact of the Mentor in challenging or sensitive situations. Other experienced Mentors in the network can also help. However, the Mentor has to keep in mind that he/she must protect the Mentee’s identity since there is an agreement that the relationship is confidential.

Sometimes the life situation of a Mentor may change as well. In such a case, the Mentor is asked to contact the Manager of the process as soon as possible. The Manager and the Mentor will together discuss how to proceed. In case it is not possible for the Mentor to continue, the Manager will solve the problem most probably by finding another Mentor. However, it is desirable that the ‘former’ Mentor will guarantee a smooth mentor change and there will be no interruption in mentoring.