14
Community IT Services e-Mentoring Background Education Business Connections (EBC’s) pioneering ementoring project is being funded through Sunderland's award winning Digital Challenge initiative. 62 young people signed up to take part in the programme and were supported by dozens of business e-mentors from across the region, the students were from four local schools (Hetton, Springwell Dene, Barbara Priestman & Southwick Primary). Enabling technology The young people, including looked after children, are all now members of the ‘exclusive’ e-friends club. As part of the programme they complete a simple form aimed at finding out a little about them, their interests, hobbies, etc, and what kind of help they might need. eMentor Fraser McClennan said “The e-Mentoring project gives young and older people the chance to share experiences – their hopes and dreams, fears and concerns, and their failures and successes. It gives young people a neutral, nonjudgemental ear to turn to for advice and guidance” Based on this information the young people (mentees) are being matched with a CRB security checked business mentor who will provide on-line support, encouragement and guidance through a safe and secure portal. EBC’s e-Mentoring model offers a mix of activities and approaches for both the e-mentees and e-mentors involved in the programme. This is to ensure: • On-going communications is maintained to minimise the risk of self exclusion by e-mentees. • Support is provided to both e-mentees and e-mentors throughout the programme to safeguard their retention. • A minimising of the feelings of ‘exclusion’ or ‘isolation’ that could develop if pure e-communications was used. • The opportunity to meet others involved with the programme and to share experiences with them. • Provision of opportunities for parents/carers to ‘learn alongside’ the young people taking part in the programme. Approaches include: • Face-to-face work – induction training, ongoing e-mentee sessions and at large scale events • Group communications – from mentees to e-mentors (and a wider • audience) and vice versa • Virtual communities – for both mentees and mentors • Individual on-line mentoring – from e-mentors to e-mentees (managed by EBC)
Benefits • Children can get advice to make positive life choices • Children are able to share experiences with others • Children feel they belong to a supportive community Feedback from pupils, staff members and parents involved: “Held children interest and make them think about different jobs.” “What my daughter enjoyed is how she thought about her future” “I have to work as a team gained a qualification I enjoyed doing it because it’s something different” “I have learned how to work with others” Celebration Event All of the young people involved received an accredited qualification with NCFE & Open College Network during a finale event in March 2010. This event was organised where the 62 mentees finally came face to face with their mentors they have been communicating with for a long period of time. Jordan Drury, 12, who attends Southwick Primary, got on well with his mentor. He said “I thought he was really funny, it was really good to meet him. He also helped me understand how to get a good job.”