Mentor Tip: Mentoring Guidelines

Subject: Mentoring guidelines

Here are a few guidelines to follow as you begin mentoring the teens in our program.

• Periodically introduce yourself to the group. Share your personal interests, hobbies, academic interests, and career path.
• Read messages and communicate with other mentors and/or protégés at least once per week (time commitment: up to about one hour).
• Engage protégés in conversations. Set the tone and model appropriate interactions.
• Get to know the protégés. What are their personal interests? academic interests? career interests?
• Explore interests with protégés by asking questions, promoting discussion, and pointing to Internet and other resources.
• Facilitate contact between protégés and resources (professors, professionals, service providers, etc.).
• Remember that developing meaningful relationships takes time. Give yourself and the protégés time to get to know one another.
• Encourage protégés to set and reach high goals in education and employment.
• Maintain appropriate, clear boundaries with protégés.
• Never arrange to meet a protégé in person without the approval of program staff and parents. If such a meeting is desired, please share your interest with me at [email address].
• Tell me of any inappropriate email you receive from protégés or mentors and/or inappropriate activities protégés or mentors are involved in.