Online Mentoring in Action Presenters: Sharon Farrow - Birmingham City University Dorothy Spencer - Brightside

1. Online Mentoring in Action • Presenters: • Sharon Farrow - Birmingham City University • Dorothy Spencer - Brightside

2. Brightside… Uses online technology to connect, inform and inspire more young people to achieve their potential through education.

3. Brightside - Background • Supported 25,000 young people with ementoring • Work with 34 universities • Online engagement varies between scope and duration: • Standalone ementoring • Online exchanges supporting face to face activities • Online competitions • Our partners also use ementoring: • To encourage uptake of specific subjects • As additional support for teachers

4. Ask @Birmingham City University • Why? • Equip new students with information about university life including work-life balance • Support new students during their transition to university, aiming to contribute towards student recruitment, conversion and retention • Encourage penultimate, and final year students to start thinking about their future post-graduation • Support students in researching and applying for jobs post-graduation with a view to increasing the amount of graduates entering employment

5. Why choose E-mentoring, and Brightside? • Unique and flexible way for all participants to get involved in mentoring • Previous success stories with schools and other HEI’s • Quality and range of training materials available • Specific URL and tailor made website for the scheme • Ongoing monitoring, and evaluation support

6. What we did • Recruiting Mentees and Mentors • Contacted internal colleagues to encourage them to promote the scheme to students • Advertised scheme in the New Students Arrival Guide • Presence at Freshers Fair • Global Emails to all students and staff • Presence on website • Email to all employer contacts to encourage them to act as mentors

7. Things we learnt • Not easy to recruit Business Mentors, employers are keen but time poor. • Student motivation – selling the benefits of mentoring, • Understanding mentoring – many participants wanted to act as a mentor, but not a mentee. • Involve Alumni/Contacts/Marketing Team. They can recruit mentors on your behalf • Produce case studies, quotes etc as soon as possible in order to promote your scheme • Plan another recruitment campaign to launch after Christmas, many students only then realise that they could benefit from the scheme.

8. Quotes Business Mentee “I saw the scheme as an opportunity to learn and I wanted someone to guide me through my dreams. I would recommend the scheme to students for sharpening their aspirations, and for motivation to pursue ones dreams”

9. Stage Two Business Mentor (Birmingham City University Alumni) “It’s a good opportunity for personal development, and to give something back. The training is useful as a refresher, or for developing a new skill. I’ve been able to help my mentee with course information, and support his career plans. The key thing is flexibility. It doesn’t take much time and that’s a real plus. It’s an innovative idea. If it was traditional mentoring, I probably wouldn’t have time to do it.

10. What do participants gain from the scheme • Mentees • Increased confidence • Increased motivation • ‘Insider’ knowledge • The ability and opportunity to learn from others’ mistakes • Increased knowledge of services across the University • Better work-life balance • Fuller involvement in University Life, therefore a better Student Experience • More prepared for life post university • Increased links and knowledge of/with employers/organisations

11. What do participants gain from the scheme? • Mentors • Develop new skills in supervision, signposting and advising • Improved communication skills • Professional development • Increased understanding of issues facing university leavers • Opportunity to ‘put something back’ into society/community • Keep up to date with the latest thinking/technology • Talent Spotting

12. Ementoring website – Key features • Customised to fit in with University branding • Place to house additional resources – activities and library • Good evaluation tools: • Downloadable reports • Activity graphs • Review communication • Child protection facilities (useful for under 18s)

20. Critical success factors for ementoring • Clarity of message to students – ‘what’s it for?’ • Structure– give participants a discussion topic per month. • Give students broad outline • Give mentors detail • Don’t view in isolation – what else can it support/ interact with? • Invest time in making it work • The quality of mentors counts! Mentors need to be able to motivate students • Conduct all programme communication via the designated website

21. Top Tips • Identify key areas within your organisations strategy where e-mentoring could work • Identify potential coordinators in other areas/departments of your organisation and roll the scheme out • Offer certificates to all participants • Publicity – create case studies, award nominations, news items • Awards for Mentors and Mentees • Potential meet and mix session with mentees and mentors