1. From Good Idea to Successful
Scheme – Our Mentoring Journey
Femi Bola MBE and Raksha Mehta
University of East London
Wednesday 11th September 2013
2. Our Workshop
• Why are you here?
• About us and our mentoring journey
• What are your challenges?
• What next?
3. Our Context
• 27,000 students
• East London/Thames Gateway
• 60%+ BAME students
• 55% mature students
• 40% lower socio-economic groups
• 81% from the London area
• 50% from East London
• International students
4. Why Mentoring?
• To address a range of developmental needs
expressed by our students:-
Knowledge
oHigher Education, university life, professional
life, the work place, industry
Skills
oCVs, interviews, presentations, study
skills, communication, leadership
Understanding
oSelf and others, confidence, motivations
5. Our Mentoring Journey
Before students arrive at university
Success whilst students are at university
Preparing for life after graduation
6. Our Schemes
• Pre-entry and Looked After Children Scheme
• Peer Mentoring Scheme
• Employability and Enterprise Scheme
7. Pre-entry and Looked After Children
• Engage children from local
schools and colleges
• Development of career and
educational plans
Pre-entry
Scheme
• Social work student mentors
• Provision of emotional support
Looked
After
Children
8. Peer Mentoring Scheme
2nd and 3rd year students
mentor new students
Aid transition into
university life
Development for
mentors and mentees
9. Peer Mentoring Scheme
• Started 2011
• 154 mentors matched
• 81% of mentees interested in becoming
mentors
• 73% mentors wanted to repeat the experience
10. Employability and Enterprise
Mentoring Scheme
Aims
• Personal and
professional
development
• World of work or
self employment
Processes
• Students
• Mentors
• Support
Outcomes
• Career plans
and goals
• Employability
skills
• Confidence
11. Employability and Enterprise Team
Scheme
• Response to student satisfaction survey
• Students wanted opportunities to meet
professionals
• Pilot – 2007
• Worked with a partner
• Professional approach
• Web resources
14. What have we learnt?
• Our students want to support others
• Our students want to share their experiences
• External partners want to engage
• Use their systems – CSR
• A powerful developmental tool that’s low cost
• Seek external accreditation your VC will like it!
• A virtuous circle – or spiral of success
15. Tips
• Make it easy
• Clear processes
• Clear outcomes
• Get a brand and communicate it
• Quality materials
• Web resources
• Don’t be afraid to ask, they may just say YES!
16. What next
• Growth
• Diversification
• Accreditation – Mentees and Mentors
• Use technology more effectively
• Use our alumni
• Measure impact more effectively
