Pilot Ethnic Minority Mentoring Programme

1. Pilot Ethnic Minority Mentoring Programme

2. Programme Directors  Mary Andall-Stanberry Senior Lecturer Moira Mitchell Equality and Diversity Manager

3. Director of Student Recruitment Equality and Diversity Report - 2007 entry Students by Ethnicity Ethnicity of Home (and EU) students (by percentage) 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004 White 87. 89. 91.4 89.7 Black Caribbean 1.2 1 0.3 0.2 Black African 3.7 3.3 2.4 1.3 Black Other 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 Indian 0.6 0.9 0.7 1.1 Bangladeshi 0.2 0.3 0.2 0.1 Pakistani 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.2 Chinese 0.5 0.2 0.3 0.4 Asian 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.5 Mixed Ethnicity 2.4 1.6 2.2 1.6 Other Ethnicity 0.5 0.9 0.3 0.3 Refused 1.9 1.9 0 0 Unknown 1.2 0.1 1.1 4.4 Total BME (excludes refused and unknown) 10.1 8.9 7.5 6.1

4. Context and Background BME Research (Andall-Stanberry 2007) – Towards a Support System for BME Students In 2007 BME students - focus group their experiences support they would benefit from.

5. Methodology • The BME student consultation sought to engage with students on a purely selfselecting basis, based upon their interest in the matter and their willingness tocontribute to improvements in their University. • The consultation identified three activities. Each was planned to elicit differentresponses from students. This was to ensure that the diversity of thestudents, including their learning styles, experience of group and teamworking, ability for reflective learning and knowledge of equality anddiversity was acknowledged. • The four aspects of the consultation meeting were: • Questionnaire • Unstructured large group discussion • Structured small group discussion • 4. Plenary feedback

6. One of the many recommendations - the university should establish a mentoring programme BME students.

7. Mentor defined: Webster's Dictionary defines mentor as a “a guide, a tutor or coach." Peer Mentoring occurs when a more experienced undergraduate supports and guides the incoming undergraduates within the same university setting (Stead & Jowett 1994).

8. Previous studies identified that a Mentoring Programme, if properly undertaken, can help to address issues highlighted by CCCU BME students • Isolation • Point of reference • Orientation • Academic support (which may influence retention rate among others).

9. Critical factors - Mentoring programmes Friday & Friday (2002); Meggison (2006) and Clutterbuck (2004), - organisations who plan on introducing a Mentoring programme, need to ascertain that it is a corporate initiative embedded in the organisations’ strategic objectives, to enable them to achieve ’maximum effectiveness’. Broad Aims – Strategic Plan – CCCU Widening Participation ensure that all students receive appropriate support and guidance to enable them to progress and reach their full potential make a major contribution to the intellectual, cultural, social and economic life of our local and wider communities to create a learning environment in which all students are challenged, supported and able to achieve their individual goals. to establish a learning environment which embraces diversity in terms of access, educational experience, curriculum content and teaching processes

10. According to Friday & Friday (2002) many organisations have a lack of ‘strategic alignment’ in their corporate strategy, hence the reason why many programmes do not achieve the objectives for which they are set up. Therefore, mentoring can be seen ‘quick-fix’ idea without the real costs and benefits having been properly thought through.

11. CCCU pilot project commenced in September 2009, supported by a Pro-Vice Chancellor and funded by the Widening Participation budget, with the aims and objectives to: • Support ethnic minority students into Higher Education • Create a support network for ethnic minority students • Increase students’ positive contribution for university life • Develop study skills/academic support • Promote the benefits of mentoring and of Higher Education to the broader community

12. MENTORING IN HIGHER EDUCATION In Tony Morrison’s novel Beloved, the community poses the question about baby Suggs, holy – the matriarch who is described as always bringing goodwill Where does she get it all Baby Suggs, holy? Why is she and hers always the centre of things? How comes she always know what to do and when? Giving advice, and passing messages…and loving everybody like it was her job and hers alone (Morrison, 1987, p. 137) See handout

13. Problems – Mentoring in HE The Education Guardian (2005) stated that many universities have implemented Peer Mentoring Programmes to support students but because of: bad funding lack of commitment from Mentors lack of proper evaluation of the programmes, they have been unsuccessful. Garvey & Alred (2000) - lack of ‘Mentoring education’ in higher education – or the understanding - the programmes are not working well.

14. Factors Influencing a successful Mentoring Programme According to Boateng (2007) and Williams (1999). role adopted by the Mentor.

15. Benefits for the Mentee The reported perceived benefits for the Mentee have been to gain experience, better student retention, orientation and integration within the university, increased confidence and success in their academic study, plus the additional acquired knowledge and experience of the Mentoring relationship and employment skills.

16. Benefits for the organisation and Mentor The Mentors’ benefits include personal development, a positive self-awareness and curriculum vitae enhancement. On the part of the educational institution, competitive advantage, boosted entry rates and figures of student retention, continued funding and support from its stakeholders, and a good general self-image all benefits it.

17. Project ran: September 2009 – June 2010 Funded by: Pro Vice-Chancellor (Academic): Widening Participation Budget Run by: Moira Mitchell and Mary Andall-Stanberry

18. Mentor Recruitment 2nd and 3rd Year Students (2nd year preferable) Recruited via: Leaflets and posters University website Student Jobshop Programme Directors

19. Why the scheme Who would we attract How would we select How would we match Overseas or home students priority and conflict of interest ‘organisation’ Issue? Gender issue? Cultural? Religion? Race

20. Criteria for matching Application forms for mentees and mentors? How much information do we requested? Should we put in question that can be used in evaluation?

21. Mentor Training Half-day programme developed using resources from the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, covering: Principles of peer mentoring Interpersonal and Communication Skills Differences in Values and Attitudes Ground Rules of the Programme

22. Mentee Recruitment Most of the mentees were recruited during Fresher Week but some students were also referred during the course of the year Ethnicity of Mentors and Mentees

23. Matching Pairs Mentors were matched to mentees on the following basis: The demographic data on the application forms (age, gender, ethnicity) Academic subject area Interests and hobbies

24. Mentoring Activity Pairs met weekly or fortnightly Regularly contacted by project staff Chose their own meeting venues When unable to meet used the following: Facebook Skype SMS Texting Email Discussed wide range of issues, including personal, cultural and academic

25. Review and Evaluation Mentors and Mentees asked questions like: What were the goals you stated at the beginning of the mentoring relationship? Have you achieved these goals, as a whole or in part? How have you experienced the relationship between mentee and mentor? What personal benefits have you found, during your mentoring relationship?

26. Mentee Self-Evaluation Interpersonal Skills Pre-programme Post-programme

27. Mentee Self-Evaluation Self-Confidence Pre-programme Post-programme

28. Mentee Self-Evaluation Motivation and Goal Setting Pre-programme Post-programme

29. Mentee Self-Evaluation Study Skills Pre-programme Post-programme

30. Mentor Self-Evaluation Listening skills Time-keeping Interpersonal skills Self-confidence Organisational skills

31. Conclusions Very successful but ..... Very hard work! How to reach less confident students? How to embed across the University?

32. Programme Directors  Mary Andall-Stanberry Senior Lecturer Tel: 01634 894459 Email: mary.andall-stanberry@canterbury.ac.uk Moira Mitchell Equality and Diversity Manager Tel: 01227 782795 Email: moira.mitchell@canterbury.ac.uk

33. Andall-Stanberry, M. (2007) Towards a Support Network for BME Students at CCCU. Canterbury Christ Church University (unpublished) Boateng, L (2007) How Effective is the Peer Mentoring Programme in the School of Business of the University of Greenwich? University of Greenwich. Research Project Clutterbuck, D. (2004). Everyone Needs a Mentor 4th edition, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development Freeman. K. (1999) Peabody Journal of Education. Vol 74. No. 2 Mentoring Under Represented Friday, E and Friday S. (2002). Formal Mentoring: Is there a strategic fit? Journal of Management Decision [online], 40 (2) Available fromhttp://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/00251740210422820. [Accessed: 1st July 2010]. Garvey, B and Alred G. (2002). Developing Mentors. Journal of Career Development International [online], 5 (4/5). Available from:http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/EUM0000000005359 [Accessed: 1st July 2010]. Garvey, B. (1994). Ancient Greece, MBAs, the Health Service and George: Part 1. Journal of Education and Training [online], 36 (2). Available from:http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/00400919410058090. [Accessed: 1st July 2010]. Jowett, V and Stead, R. (1994). Mentoring Students in Higher Education. Journal of Education and Training [online], 36 (5). Available from: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/00400919410062293. [Accessed: 1st July 2010]. Meggison, D. Clutterbuck, D. Garvey, B. Stokes, P. Garrett-Harris, R. (2006) Mentoring in Action. 2nd edition, Kogan Page. Morrison, T. (1987) Beloved: New York: Alfred a Knopf Inc. Maryland USA Robbins, M. M. (1995) Black students in teacher education. Multicultural Teaching. 14.1. Smith, J. (2007) Report of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) Student Consultation. CCCU Williams. C.D. (1998) Role Models and Mentors for Young Black Administrators, Faculty and Students at Predominantly White Campuses. William Munroe Trotter Institute