Mentoring for Progression: working with Training Providers
LEAD ORGANISATION
ADDITIONAL ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED
ATG Training; Chiltern Training; Henley Training Company; Milton Keynes College; Slough Borough Council; Training the Carer
PROJECT SUMMARY
This project aimed to engage providers of work-based learning in a process of mentoring learners with the aim of clarifying career goals and encouraging progression to further study if appropriate. Six training providers participated in the project and a total of twelve staff from these providers volunteered to be trained to provide individual 1-to-1 mentoring support to learners. The longer-term aim was for the training providers to embed the mentoring initiative into their organisations.
All volunteer mentors had an initial 1-to-1 meeting with the project leader, then later attended a day's training session as a group. They were then further supported on a 1-to-1 basis throughout the mentoring as and when they needed it. The question of how much contact a mentor had with each of their learners was left up to them, although the expected minimum was three face-to-face meetings in addition to unlimited email and telephone contact.
A cohort of learners was then identified for each mentor. Learners selected as mentees were learners whom providers felt had the potential to benefit from HE but who were not currently considering HE or further learning as an option. All learners selected were taking Level 3 apprenticeship frameworks. Around 70% of participants were in full-time employment while undertaking their apprenticeship.
46 learners completed the mentoring process and produced Personal Development Plans (PDPs) with the support of their mentors. The PDP makes use of a range of tools to help the mentee to understand him or herself more fully, and provides a focus for discussion by providing the mentor with a number of structured questions that help them to draw out relevant information and therefore improve the quality of their joint decision-making. The PDP comprises a series of simple but effective tools, including:
- a Curriculum Vitae: this helps the mentee focus on how their career has developed up to the point at which they start taking part in the mentoring
- a Job Description: this helps the mentee to focus on their role within their organisation
- a personal SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Analysis: this aims to help the mentee put their working life into perspective using information based on honest feedback
- a Goals and Aspirations exercise: this helps mentees identify where they want to be in one, three and five years' time, as well as in the longer term
- a Knowledge, Skills and Attitude exercise: this focuses on how realistic the learner's stated objective is in terms of the knowledge and skills they already have, and examines how committed they appear to be to doing what may be necessary to achieve their goal
IMPACT
After the mentoring, 31 of these learners (67% of total participants) indicated that they were likely to apply to HE. Participants were asked this question both before and after the mentoring and 10 of those responding to both questions showed a positive shift in their intentions regarding HE, with 6 responding 'Yes, definitely' when asked the question after the training, where they had been undecided before - or in one case had categorically responded 'No'.
75% of those feeding back agreed that taking part in the mentoring project had made them feel more positive towards studying to get further qualifications. One learner noted that he had "loved the experience" of undergoing mentoring; this learner had initially stated 'No' to the question of whether he was planning on going on to a HE course, but then answered 'Yes, definitely' to this question following the mentoring.
Positive feedback was received from participating providers on the benefits of working with learners in this way. Mentors reported that they had enjoyed their role and spoke positively of the contribution that mentoring has made to the way in which learners view their future learning. There is evidence that a significant proportion of learners are actively intending to engage in further, higher level learning following achievement of their Level 3 qualification.
Selected comments from delegates:
"Loved the experience."
"I found this very helpful and interesting."
"Very good mentor [who] gave me a lot of information about a future career"
"I have found out about lots of courses that I am able to apply for which broadens my possibilities."
"I have found out about funding and a variety of degrees that are available for me to apply for, which I was not aware of before."