Read on, and if you answer yes to any of the questions below, then our UEA Mentoring Programme could provide you with the opportunity to help a student as they navigate a path towards a graduate level career.

• Could you provide support and guidance to students who have no idea what they would like to do after their degree? 
• Would you be able to help build a student’s confidence? 
• Can you offer career or industry specific knowledge to students who have identified a career pathway? 
• Are you keen to pass on the benefit of your own experiences and develop your coaching skills?

If you are interested in helping students through mentoring, there are three ways to get involved:

1. Mentoring

With our Mentoring Programme students have the opportunity to talk to you as someone who has ‘been there and done it’ in a one-to-one relationship, where you can help them make decisions about their plans and build up their confidence. You would need to give six hours of one-to-one advice and guidance in person or via email or telephone over a six month period. At least one of these meetings would need to be in person.

2. Information Interviews

Perhaps you could offer One-Off Information Interviews to those students who already know the sector they would like to work in and are looking for further information on this sector and/or how to progress within it? The interview will give the student a chance to talk to you, either by telephone or email for half an hour, to find out more about your job and the sector you work in.

3. E-Mentoring

We are planning to run e-mentoring within the Mentoring Programme in future academic years. This will enable mentors who cannot hold any mentoring meetings in person to become involved. If you are interested, please do register your interest.

We are actively recruiting Mentors for this academic year, 2012/13. If you are a UEA alumnus, or another professional with an interest in becoming a mentor to a current student, please take the opportunity to register your interest and we will provide you with further information. Alternatively, you can email Kerensa at careermentors@uea.ac.uk.

Mentor Events 

Mentor Training Event
17 September 2012
Thank you to everyone who was able to come along to the Mentor Networking, Evaluation and Training Event on Monday 17 September. It was good to meet all our new mentors and to catch up with our continuing mentors.

Mentor & Mentee Matching/Networking Event 
31 October 2012 
Thank you to everyone who was able to come along to the Matching/Networking Event on Wednesday 31 October. The event went well and many of our new mentees enjoyed meeting and talking to the Mentors who were there. We hope to add a couple of photos of the event shortly.

Further Planned Mentor Events at UEA

30 January 2013 - Mentor/Mentee Interim Feedback & Networking Event, 6-8pm (for Mentors), UEA
Mid-End April 2013 - Celebration & Awards Event (date TBC)

Don't worry if you are unable to attend any of the events as we will keep you informed via our newsletter, website and by email.

More information about the Programme is available below:

A Mentor:

• Listens carefully to what their Mentee wants to achieve
• Provides guidance, feedback and, when necessary, direction
• Shares their wealth of experience and knowledge where appropriate
• Enthuses and encourages
• Helps develop their mentee's employability skills
• Speaks with their mentee about their aspirations and supports their progression towards them

Mentor Introductory Briefing [PDF, 469KB]  – This gives you further information about the UEA Mentoring Programme and your role as a Mentor. Please do read this and if you have any queries after reading it, please do get in touch with us.

Mentor Activity Flowchart [PDF, 187KB] - This gives you an outline of the process.

Mentor Training Pack [PDF, 798KB] - A training pack designed to inform you about effective mentoring techniques. This contain case studies of some of the typical situations which can arise during mentoring. It is essential that all mentors complete this training, even if they are experienced mentors. The UEA Mentoring Programme can also provide information briefings via telephone, should you have any additional queries.

Mentor Support Handbook [PDF, 676KB] - Following completion of the training exercises above, this Support Handbook will provide a quick point of reference during the period of mentoring.

Action Plan Template [Word, 39KB]

Mentor Application Form [Word, 39KB] - Once you have had an information briefing or attended a training event, please complete this application form electronically and email it along with a copy of your current CV or a link to an online version to careermentors@uea.ac.uk