FLiP Mentoring Program
Introduction: <your committee person> & <your committee person>
Overview: What to expect from the Mentoring program
- Defining the “mentor’s role” – the goal is to help the mentees find a job, but the mentor’s role is to share experiences, suggestions, and provide support to assist mentee and help them gain more empowerment over their future and potential career opportunities (the ability to obtain a job is ultimately up to the mentee)
- What we think mentees need and what they actually need may be two different things. We want to listen well and brainstorm their needs and potential solutions – both as a group and in breakout sessions with mentors/mentees
- Future of this program – is up to the mentors/mentees. Bring up the idea of a 30-day follow-up with mentee. While it has not yet been decided on further follow-up, we may want to consider a 90-day follow-up survey to identify whether mentees have obtained jobs, and whether they continue to experience challenges that we can assist with. At that time, evaluate whether additional mentor/mentee follow-up needed and whether it would be productive and helpful.
Hour 1: Getting to know each other and our goals for the program
- Icebreaker exercise/Introduction of mentors/mentees (<your committee person> will provide icebreaker exercise unless someone else wants to)
- Mentees – Each individual describe what they would like to get out of the program/what “burning questions” do they have that they need help with and want to ask us? (flipchart/scribe responses, <your committee person> to assist)
- Topic #1 – Mentees know the basics, but want to get a job! Where to go from here?
- Flip chart/document in general teams each mentee’s responses when asked specifically about their career interests (will ask each one, list on chart in general terms)
- Activity: A “round robin” discussion about each person’s interests and some practical tools/resources to use for “getting that job” – (<your committee person> to facilitate discussion here – see notes on page 3 and 4; however, group participation will be encouraged by facilitators, mentors, and mentees). If there is not enough interaction/feedback, <your committee person> will initiate some general comments to stimulate discussion
Hour 2: Mentees/Mentors engage in one-on-one conversations
- Discuss specifically content from previous hour, individual observations/“ah-ha” moments, and how that person can use those suggestions and others from their specific mentor about how to get the job they’re looking for in their specific industry of interest. Other questions may arise, mentors may want to list questions they cannot answer and present to the group at the end for discussion.
Wrap-Up: Members Responsible
- Next Steps – Written Action Plan by each mentee/mentor
- Process for “Checking In” with mentor/re-clarify (for example, contact with mentor/mentee might be made through <your committee person> with the United Way) – ensure mentees/mentors have provided contact information