participant workbook (taedel404a)

Mentor in the workplace

PARTICIPANT WORKBOOK

TAEDEL404A2nd Edition

Part of a suite of support materials for the

TAE10 Training and Education Training Package

Participant Workbook TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace

2nd Edition 2015

Acknowledgement

Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council (IBSA) would like to acknowledge Precision Consultancy for their assistance with the development of the resource for TAEDEL404A.

Revised by IBSA (2015)

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© 2015 Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council Ltd

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Published by: Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council Ltd Level 11 176 Wellington Pde East Melbourne VIC 3002 Phone: +61 3 9815 7000 Fax: +61 3 9815 7001 Email: [email protected] www.ibsa.org.au

1st edition published: September 2011

2nd edition version: 1

2nd edition published: December 2015

Release date: December 2015

ISBN: 978-1-925379-83-9

Stock code: TAEDEL404A2D

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.ibsa.org.au/

Table of contents

Welcome

Introduction ......................................................................................................................1

Sections in this workbook ..........................................................................................1

Using this workbook ...................................................................................................2

Recommended reading..............................................................................................3

Undertaking assessment ...........................................................................................4

Learning

Topic 1: Prepare for Mentoring Relationships ..............................................................9

Mentoring types ....................................................................................................... 12

Develop the mentor program ................................................................................. 14

Meet workplace requirements ............................................................................... 23

Topic 2: Facilitate a Mentoring Relationship ............................................................. 27

Mentoring skills ....................................................................................................... 28

Troubleshooting ....................................................................................................... 36

Topic 3: Monitor and Evaluate Mentoring Relationships .......................................... 43

Monitoring processes .............................................................................................. 44

Close the mentoring relationship ........................................................................... 46

Summative evaluation ............................................................................................ 47

Application

Activity 1: Mentoring Types ......................................................................................... 53

Activity 2: Mentoring Questionnaire ........................................................................... 55

Activity 3: Mentoring Plans and Mentoring Agreements ........................................... 58

Activity 4: Matching Mentors and Mentees................................................................ 61

Activity 5: Inclusion in the Workplace ......................................................................... 64

Activity 6: WHS Considerations ................................................................................... 66

Activity 7: Giving Feedback ......................................................................................... 68

Activity 8: Developing Questions ................................................................................. 72

Activity 9: Resolving Differences ................................................................................. 74

Activity 10: Monitoring and Formative Evaluation Processes ................................... 76

Activity 11: Closing the Relationship .......................................................................... 78

Activity 12: Evaluation Methods ................................................................................. 80

Appendices

Appendix 1: Learning Objectives Tool ...................................................................... 89

Appendix 2: Sample Training Plan ........................................................................... 91

Appendix 3: Sample Mentoring Plan ....................................................................... 95

Appendix 4: Mentoring Session Agenda and Discussion Record .......................... 97

Welcome

Participant Workbook

TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace 2nd edition version: 1 © 2015 Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council Ltd Page 1 of 97

Introduction This Participant Workbook supports TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace, an elective unit in the TAE40110 Certificate IV in Training and Assessment.

It covers the skills and knowledge required to establish and develop a professional mentoring relationship with a learner. The mentoring relationship could be between a supervisor, a colleague, a co-worker and a learner. The learner could be an apprentice or trainee employed by, or undertaking work placement in, a workplace.

This unit will help you develop skills and knowledge to enable you to:

● develop a mentoring plan

● facilitate a mentoring relationship

● monitor mentor relationships

● evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring.

The workbook covers the need for mentoring, developing a mentoring plan or framework, facilitating and monitoring the mentoring relationship and evaluating the effectiveness of the mentoring.

Sections in this workbook

This Participant Workbook consists of the following sections.

Learning This section provides background information to support this unit of competency, and where to go for further information. It also includes some case studies to illustrate the unit of competency in practice.

Throughout this workbook, you will notice small text included at the sides of some pages. This side text provides definitions, notes, resources or it pinpoints the best time to carry out a learning activity. The activities referred to are included in the following section of the workbook, titled Application.

Sometimes the side text refers to video clips to demonstrate information referred to in the workbook. The video clips can be downloaded from IBSA’s YouTube channel at <http://www.youtube.com/ibsachannel>.

Application This section provides activities to help you develop your skills. Your facilitator may also add some extra activities to support your learning as you are working through this unit.

Some of the activities may contribute to assessment.

Introduction

2nd edition version: 1 TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace Page 2 of 97 © 2015 Innovation and Business Industry Skills Council Ltd

Appendices The Appendix section of the workbook may provide templates, examples or other sample documents to help illustrate some aspects of the unit of competency. These templates are also available in Word format online at <https://www.ibsa.org.au/tae-resources>.

Using this workbook

Templates Helpful templates from the appendices of your Participant Workbook are available in Word format online at <https://www.ibsa.org.au/tae-resources>.

References Throughout the workbook, you will be directed to websites for additional information. Given that web addresses can change, you may need to check the link and use search tools to find updated links.

Glossary A glossary of terms is included on the Learner Resources website at <https://www.ibsa.org.au/tae-resources>.

Use the glossary to clarify the meaning of terms used in this workbook.

Context To complete this unit, you need a learning and assessment environment where you can access information and apply your skills. This environment is called the practice environment.

If you are already employed in an organisation that delivers training and/or assessment, your workplace will most likely be your practice environment. If not, your facilitator can help to find you a suitable practice environment. If you do not have direct access to a practice environment, your facilitator may need to help you by providing simulations or case studies that meet the assessment requirements for this unit. For example, you could practise applying your competencies on fellow learners in the classroom, or your facilitator may set up a virtual learning community online. Throughout this workbook these environments will be referred to as your practice environment.

Compiling your own resources As you work through this book, compile a resource kit (electronic and/or paper-based) to add to, use for your work and assist with your learning. This could include, for example, information that you print out or ‘bookmark’ from websites, resources you download, newspaper articles about your industry, or specific policies or procedures.

What you decide to put in your resource kit is up to you. Over time, it can become your resource companion, containing information about current work practice and ideas.



The resource kit is for your own professional development and is different to any portfolio or file that you might keep for assessment purposes, although some resources may be included in both.

Recommended reading

Some recommended reading for this unit includes:

● Buzan T., 2010, The mind map book: unlock your creativity, boost your memory, change your life, BBC Active, Harlow, Essex, UK.

● Carruthers T., 1993, ‘The principles and practices of mentoring’, in B. Caldwell and E. Carter (Eds), The return of the mentor: strategies for workplace learning, Falmer Press, London.

● Clutterbuck, D., 2004, Everyone needs a mentor: fostering talent in your organisation, 4 edn, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London.

● Kelly, M., Beck, T., and Thomas J., 1992, ‘Mentoring as a staff development activity’, in M. Wilkin (Ed), Mentoring in schools, Kogan Page, London.

● Kram, K. E., 1983, ‘Phases of the mentoring relationship’, Academy of Management Journal, vol. 26, iss. 4, pp. 608–625.

● McKenzie, B. C., 1995, Friends in high places: The executive woman’s guide, Business and Professional Publishing, Sydney.

● Murray M. and Owen M. A., 1991, Beyond the myths and magic of mentoring, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.

● Newton, A., et al., 1994, ‘Statistics and stories’, in Mentoring: a resource and training guide for educators, Regional Laboratory for Educational Improvement, Andover, MA.

● Spencer C., 1996, Mentoring made easy: a practical guide for managers, Office of the Director of Equal Opportunity in Public Employment, NSW Government Publications.

● Training and Development Directorate, 1998, Mentoring a process module.

● Watts, L., 1996, A guide to mentoring, National Staff Development Committee, Melbourne.

Online resources ● Australian Government, Australian Apprenticeships, viewed August 2015,

<http://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au>.

● Fawcett, G., 1997, ‘Is a good teacher always a good mentor?’ The Mentoring, Leadership and Resources Network, viewed August 2015, <http://www.mentors.net/03journal/j1_gt_chr_gmentor.html>.

○ This article was originally published in Mentor: Journal of the Mentoring Leadership and Resource Network.

Introduction


● Mentoring Australia, viewed August 2015, <http://www.mentoring-australia.org>.

○ This site includes a link to Youth Mentoring Network.

● National Foundation for the Improvement of Education, 1999, ‘Creating a teacher mentoring program’, NEA Foundation, viewed August 2015, <http://www.neafoundation.org/downloads/NEA-Creating_Teacher_ Mentoring.pdf>.

○ Linked to the American National Education Association, this paper outlines many of the issues and questions that school districts, teacher associations and universities should consider when developing new or improving existing mentor programs.

● Training.gov.au (TGA), viewed August 2015, <http://training.gov.au>.

○ This site has links to apprenticeships and traineeships, courses and training providers and the National Register of VET.

● Women in Technology, ‘Mentoring program’, Women in Technology, viewed August 2015, <http://www.wit.org.au/page-1790904>.

○ This site is a Queensland technology industry association, and hosts development programs as a guide to assist those considering being part of a mentoring relationship.

● WorldSkills Australia, viewed August 2015, <http://www.worldskills.org.au>.

○ This site benchmarks skills achievements of apprentices and traineeships through skills competitions.

Please note that any URLs contained in the recommended reading, learning content and learning activities of this publication were checked for currency during the production process. Note, however, that IBSA cannot vouch for the ongoing currency of URLs.

Every endeavour has been made to provide a full reference for all web links. Where URLs are not current, we recommend using the reference information provided to search for the source in your chosen search engine.

Undertaking assessment

Assessment of this unit must demonstrate that you can prepare a mentoring plan, facilitate at least three mentoring sessions over one year and provide information on those sessions.

You need to show that you have the skills and knowledge to:

● develop a mentoring plan

● facilitate a mentoring relationship

● monitor a mentoring relationship

● evaluate the effectiveness of the mentoring.



You must provide evidence that you have:

● the ability to prepare a mentoring plan between the mentor and learner that sets out clear objectives for a mentoring relationship that will last at least one year

● facilitated at least three mentoring sessions

● documented information on sessions, including comments and notes from both mentor and mentee.

This unit might be assessed individually or together with other units in the TAE10 Training and Education Training Package.

Much of the information and materials you added to your resource kit while working through the Participant Workbook will help you for these assessments. Taking a portfolio approach to assessment can make the assessment process more valuable for you and will often better reflect processes in the workplace. Using a portfolio approach, you will gather your evidence together for this unit, and perhaps for other units, and submit it all together as a portfolio. This is similar to what you did when you developed your resource kit.

Helpful templates from the appendices of your Participant Workbook are available in Word format online at <https://www.ibsa.org.au/tae-resources>.

Learning



Topic 1: Prepare for Mentoring Relationships

In this learning topic, you will develop an understanding of what mentoring is and how to apply it to a learner in the workplace. You will also develop mentoring arrangements, such as a mentoring agreement or a mentoring plan.

Mentoring has many definitions and many forms. It can be conducted over a short period of time and can involve learning in the workplace or learning in our personal lives. This will be discussed in greater detail later in this topic.

For the purposes of this Participant Workbook, we will focus on a long-term learning relationship within the workplace that may be supported by a contract or other arrangement. This may include:

● apprentices or trainees

● an employee developing new skills before changing roles

● an employee requiring support while settling into a new role

● a colleague who needs support in refining their work skills

● a learner moving through a course of study or learning program.

The mentoring relationship is a process for learning and change. The mentor and the mentee work together in processes that result in the mentee learning new skills and new knowledge. As you will find later in the guide, the process of mentoring is based on the mentee asking questions and the mentor directing the areas of engagement so that the mentee learns through both guidance and experience.

Mentee

Mentor

Learning



We know that learning best occurs when the learner is motivated. We also know that when the learner is in control of their learning experience they will be more inclined to participate in the learning process. Mentoring supports these two requirements for learning because it is a learning relationship within which the learner has some control.

Mentoring supports the principles of adult learning. Each adult learner has preferred ways of learning; however, there are some general principles for all adults and the way they approach learning.

Adult learning principles

Mentoring and learning Mentoring satisfies the criteria for adult learning as it allows for the mentee to decide the agenda of the mentoring sessions, the direction of the learning and also to exert some control over the nature of the mentoring relationship.

There are additional benefits to mentoring in a workplace. If well applied, mentoring can create a cooperative and supportive work culture. It also helps the mentor to develop and reflect on their own work performances.

• Adults feel threatened by new learning.• Adults need to have some control over what, and how,

they learn.

Adults need control

• Adults learn for a reason.• The learning must suit their motivation.

Learning must be applicable

• Adults enjoy using previous experiences in their learning.

• Adults want their knowledge valued.

Adults need to feel valued

• Adults often have competing family and work commitments.

• Adults require learning to be relevant and effective.

Learning must be efficient



What is mentoring? There are numerous forms and definitions of mentoring. For the purposes of this workbook, we will consider mentoring as a relationship which has a long-term focus on personal growth or learning, where one person helps another develop new knowledge or skills.

What mentoring is:

A two-way relationship

ConversationsReflection

Questioning Informing

CoachingModelling Supporting Counselling

Directing

Mentee participates in planning, monitoring

and evaluation

Used as a process for learning and change

Mentee reflects and self-appraises

Designed to motivate and encourage

What mentoring is not:

A top-down relationship

InstructingDidacticTelling

Teacher-student

Planned, monitored and evaluated by mentor or

supervisor

Used as a process for monitoring and control

Mentor makes judgements about performance

Restricts thinking and retards development



Mentoring types

There are a number of different types of mentor relationships.

The traditional mentor–protégé relationship This relationship is identified by:

● progressing the protégé’s career

● the mentor passing on knowledge and advice

● a relationship between a junior employee and a manager or senior officer

● the mentor’s areas of expertise and knowledge directing the learning

● the mentor intervening on behalf of the protégé

● a mentor who networks and establishes relationships on behalf of the protégé.

Mentor–mentee relationship This relationship is identified by:

● the mentee learning new skills

● the mentee learning through reflection and discussion

● a relationship between a skilled employee, supervisor, manager, co-worker or colleague

● the mentor’s role which is that of a sounding board; to listen, question, advise and suggest

● mentees developing their own skills and attitudes in response to conversations with the mentor

● the mentee having significant control over where and what is discussed.

Skills or work-role coach This relationship is typified by:

● improving the skills of the mentee

● the coach passing on knowledge and skills

● a relationship based on a specific target or goal for the mentee

● the coach directing the activities and the agenda of each session.

These are loose definitions and not all learning relationships will fit neatly into these categories. The purpose of these distinctions is to identify a learning relationship appropriate for learning in the vocational educational and training sector.

Get a feel for these techniques in the video clip Workplace learning <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bpCyfq3-uk>

Identify your mentoring relationship by completing Activity 1: Mentoring types.



Time to consider what you want your mentoring relationship to be like by completing Activity 2: Mentoring questionnaire.

Which of the above roles would fit best for your eventual role as a mentor? Which role would best fit a mentee who is:

● an apprentice or trainee

● a co-worker undergoing accredited or non-accredited training

● a staff member requiring support and induction into a new job role

● a frontline manager interested in moving into an operational management position?

The focus for this workbook is the mentor–mentee relationship. The intention is to cover the skills and knowledge required for a mentor participating in a learning relationship within the workplace. The assumption is that the mentee requires guidance into a work role as well as support through a learning process. The mentee may need nurturing and support as they develop their skills and their careers. This might include an apprentice or a trainee.

Case study: Georgia needs mentors

Georgia is the HR manager of a large CBD-based plumbing contracting business. She is concerned that of the five apprentices they put on each year, on average, only two apprentices complete the four-year program. This causes problems with staffing and recruitment. It also creates problems and paperwork associated with terminating training contracts with the local TAFE where the apprentices complete their theoretical training. Georgia makes contact with three of the apprentices who had left in the last year and all commented on how unhappy they were with the way they were treated by the supervisors on the worksites. They felt unsupported and that they were often criticised harshly for the mistakes they made. Georgia is aware of a new TAE unit, TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace, and thinks this might help with the problem. She notes that it is part of the Workplace Supervisor Skill Set.



Develop the mentor program

The way you establish a mentoring program will determine the nature and the processes of the mentoring relationship. When developing a mentor program, you will need to consider:

● the regulatory environment, such as:

○ work health and safety (WHS) issues

○ nature and lengths of employment contract such as those of apprenticeships or traineeships or other employment types

○ inclusion and diversity policies

○ privacy matters

○ reporting requirements

● the aims of the program

● a formal or informal program

● involvement of stakeholders in the planning.

Once the organisation decides to develop a mentoring program, a series of planning and facilitation steps must be taken.

The following is a suggested approach.

Suggested planning and facilitation steps In the first step of planning the mentor program, you should identify the organisational objectives that will inform your mentor program. You will also need to decide on or identify the participants in the mentor program and then create mentoring plans.

Step 1: Establish broad organisational objectives The broad aims may include:

● retention rates

● employee satisfaction levels

● promotion outcomes

● work standards

● work health and safety outcomes.

These aims may help:

● identify suitable mentors

● with the review process.



Step 2: Match the mentees and mentors When matching mentors to mentees, you should consider existing rapport. Is there a good existing relationship between the two individuals that would benefit from a mentor program? How will the intended mentor and mentee get along?

It is also very important to ensure the mentors and mentees are clear on the program’s goals.

Step 3: Establish mentoring agreements Mentoring agreements established in this step refer to specific aims for the mentees, such as work satisfaction and work skill targets. The arrangements agreed upon should include decisions about session times, session durations and the overall program timeframe.

These arrangements will be decided and agreed upon by the mentor, the mentee and any other people involved in the program, such as work supervisors and program coordinators.

Step 4: Conduct the program During the mentor program, mentors need to be reliable and motivated in order to build trust in the mentees. The mentor and mentee should both monitor the program to ensure that the process is beneficial and the program is achieving the initial aims of the relationship.

Step 5: Review, evaluate and conclude It is essential to review, evaluate and amend the mentoring program at every stage, from planning to closure. Review allows you to identify strengths and weaknesses in the program and will influence the way you continue to deliver the program or similar mentoring programs in the future.

The most important feature of review and evaluation is consultation. Review and evaluation should be performed by the mentor and mentee together and should also involve any other people involved in the program, such as work supervisors and program coordinators.

With regular review and evaluation, the mentor and mentee are able to constantly assess progress towards the learning objectives, and then determine when they have been reached. Closure usually occurs when the learning objectives are reached.



Establish the program • decide on broad

organisational objectives • decide on participants• create the mentoring

plans

Match the mentors and mentees• consider rapport • consider learning opportunities

Create mentoring agreements• developed between mentor and

mentee• learning objectives agreed• session times, duration and

agendas decided

Mentoring sessions proceed• monitor progress

Monitor, review, evaluate and conclude



Mentoring plans and mentoring agreements There are many planning stages and forms of plans involved in mentoring. Throughout this unit we will use two terms: mentoring plans and mentoring agreements.

Mentoring plan A mentoring plan will be drawn up by the mentoring organiser or person responsible for the program. In many cases, the mentoring plan will be developed by the mentor themselves. If this is the case, it is important not to confuse the planning and delivery stages of the mentoring program.

The mentoring plan sets out the organisation’s goals in establishing the program, and the boundaries of the mentoring and evaluation processes.

Mentoring agreement A mentoring agreement deals with session details, learning objectives, the timing of sessions and the content of the sessions. These agreements are drawn up between the mentor and the mentee and are made under the umbrella of the mentoring plans.

Developing a mentoring plan: Defining the objectives It is essential that the organisation instituting a mentor program clarifies two important questions.

● Why have a mentoring program?

● Who should participate?

The answers to these two questions will define the organisational objectives, processes and procedures of the program. The answers to these questions will also guide the monitoring of the program and the evaluation of the program’s success.

Mentoring plans

Mentoring agreements



Consider your practice environment by completing Activity 3: Mentoring plans and mentoring agreements.



Developing a mentoring plan: Understanding and expectations It is important that all participants in the mentoring program are clear about the intention of the mentoring plan. When there is common understanding about the form and the function of the program, mentees and mentors are less likely to become confused or disinterested by the process

The plan should identify the broad intention of the mentoring scheme. Examples of intentions of a plan are to:

● support apprentices or trainees through their traineeship program

● induct a newly appointed co-worker into company policies, procedures and practices

● help develop managerial skills in newly promoted employees.

It is also important to address the participant’s expectations before beginning the scheme. The mentoring plan should address these issues as well. Does the trainee expect direct skills training or support from the mentoring relationship? Does the mentor expect to control the learning relationship?

The answers to these questions will also help determine the evaluation processes of the mentoring program. In order to evaluate the effectiveness or success of the program, you will need clearly defined objectives or benchmarks to aim for.

The benchmark of the mentoring program might be, for example:

● a unit of competency to be achieved (in the case of apprenticeships or traineeships)

● the technical skills to operate specific equipment

● a process in the workplace

● generic skills such as planning and organising

● promotion for the mentee

● new networks for the mentee

● new management practices

● different work behaviours exhibited by the mentee.

These benchmarks will need to be included in the mentoring plan. The objectives or benchmarks may be based on:

● workplace procedural manual

● training course material

● industry regulations

● equipment manuals

● units of competency

● industry standards



● other organisational workplace standards

● mentee ambitions.

Identifying the benchmarks from the sources listed above is an important step in order to understand what is expected of you and your mentee. If you are not sure of what is required, you should check with the appropriate stakeholders.

Formal and informal mentoring relationships The mentoring plan will be informed by the nature of the mentoring relationship. There are two main types of relationship: formal and informal. A formal relationship is often found in the development of mentors within an apprenticeship or traineeship. Informal relationships occur in organisations where motivated individuals support each other’s learning.

Formal mentoring

Partners are matched through a process

Established by organisation

Formal agreement and plan

Fueled by organisational aims

Evaluated and assessed as per the plan

Closure identified within plan

Informal mentoring

Mentee finds mentor by chance

Established by participants

Informal meetings

Fueled by participants' motivation

Grows and changes as per participants needs

Closure through agreement



Successful formal and informal mentoring relationships share many traits, and sometimes the traits of a successful formal relationship spill over into an informal relationship.

The features that both share include:

● the skills of developing rapport and providing a sounding board

● providing time and opportunity for the mentee to develop their own ideas

● the need for all parties to willingly participate in the relationship

● the need for both partners to get along

● that the relationship is based on learning

● contagion: the opportunity to take the learning from one mentoring relationship into another, leading to continual improvement for all concerned.

Case study: The mentoring plan

Georgia proceeds with her plan to use the Workplace Supervisor Skill Set for those supervisors taking on apprentices. She gets support from Tony, the owner of the business, who agrees to release them for the time needed and to provide the funding for the training of two supervisors: Dennis, who has been with the company for 35 years and has taken an interest in how the apprentices progress, and Mick, who only qualified as a plumber three years ago but is keen to take on leadership roles when offered. Georgia ‘sells’ the idea to both of them, suggesting that they can use the Skill Set later on to form the electives of the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment. They agree to the plan. Georgia is learning that participants in a mentoring program must be willing and motivated.

Develop a mentoring agreement A mentoring agreement will need to be worked out between the mentor and the mentee. A mentoring agreement could be in the form of a contract, plan, learning plan, a memorandum of understanding or an informal arrangement. The format of the agreement will depend on the ‘why’ and ‘who’ questions worked out in the mentoring plans.

The mentoring agreement should focus the mentoring relationships and make the learning objectives clear for both participants. As a guide, the two key elements to a mentoring agreement should include:

● the aims, with clear descriptions of the roles and the responsibilities of both the mentor and the mentee

● the learning objectives.



The purpose of the first element is to establish a relationship with a clear start and end point, and clear objectives for both parties.

The second element contains clear learning objectives worked out in consultation with the mentee.

The learning objectives are formed after initial meetings where the mentee documents:

● what they want to learn about

● why they need to learn about these things

● how they want to learn about these things

● what they need to do and what they want the mentor to do

● how they know they have learnt these things (evidence)

● how they evaluate success or failure of the program.

A sample learning objectives tool is included in Appendix 1. This tool helps clarify the learning objectives for both the mentor and the mentee.

The mentoring agreement could work in conjunction with a training plan such as the Skills Victoria example in Appendix 2.

A mentoring agreement should also include the following:

● duration of the mentoring relationship

● commencement date

● frequency of sessions

● length of each session

● total hours invested

● responsibilities of the mentor

● responsibilities of the mentee

● verification of acceptance of conditions of the mentoring relationship.

The mentoring agreements will need to be reviewed regularly and may be amended as required. These amendments will need to be reflected in changes to the mentoring plans.

Note: Remember that both parties may need to negotiate so that the expectations set out in the mentoring agreement are realistic and achievable.

Match mentors with mentees Matching the right mentor with the right mentee is important to ensure success. The solution comes from having a shared understanding of the objectives of the mentoring plan. If the objectives of the program, the mentor skills and the mentee’s needs are compatible, then there is a greater chance of success. In the next topic you will further explore the issues that relate to compatibility.



Matching also requires information about the mentee. What are their previous learning and work experiences? How do they best like to learn, and what supports do they require? This information comes best from the mentee themselves. Other considerations include:

● compatible personalities and interests

● ensuring the mentor does not have a work role where in-depth discussions with the mentee unduly influence the mentee’s opportunity for progress

● finding a mentor with the time and the interest

● ensuring the mentor has sufficient subject matter expertise.

Sourcing information about the mentee Drawing up mentor agreements or training plans provides the opportunity to source information about the mentee. The best source of information is the mentee themselves.

Collecting information carries with it certain privacy obligations. You may be given information about the mentee, or information may be included in the training documentation, or you may have sourced the information yourself. Whatever the source, it is important that you maintain confidentiality.

Information about the learner and their work skill role/s can come from a variety of sources. These include:

● regulatory procedures and standards

● organisational strategic plans and mission statements

● organisational charts and descriptions

● capability frameworks

● role descriptions

Mentoring plan’s objectives

Mentee’s needsMentor’s skills

Prepare for the mentoring program by completing Activity 4: Matching mentors and mentees.

Note: Privacy rules and regulations can be found on the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner website: <http://www.oaic.gov.au>



Prepare for the mentoring program by completing Activity 5: Inclusion in the workplace.

● key performance indicators (KPIs)

● codes of conduct

● individual work reviews and performance evaluations

● curriculum vitae and resumes.

This information should be used subject to privacy regulations.

Meet workplace requirements

There are many things to consider when meeting workplace requirements for mentoring. Mentoring needs to be inclusive to meet the program’s needs. It also must comply with state, territory and Commonwealth human rights legislation.

Commonwealth human rights legislation in the workplace includes:

● Age Discrimination Act 2004

● Disability Discrimination Act 1992

● Racial Discrimination Act 1975

● Sex Discrimination Act 1984

● Fair Work Act 2009.

This legislation broadly serves to create an inclusive workplace that does not discriminate against people on the basis of religion, race, gender, disability, cultural and social differences, age, sexuality, literacy and numeracy needs, intellectual or physiological needs.

As a mentor, you need to ensure your planning and practice do not limit or exclude the mentee from full participation in the mentoring program.

As well as Commonwealth legislation, there are also state and territory regulations, rules and codes of practice around inclusive behaviour of organisations and workplaces.

One relevant area of concern is work health and safety (WHS). Mentoring sessions must comply with WHS regulations.

As well as work health and safety and other regulatory responsibilities, the mentor has a number of roles and responsibilities in the mentoring process to ensure the mentoring relationship succeeds.

Requirements under traineeships and apprenticeships There are various funding arrangements supporting traineeships and apprenticeships from the federal, state and territory governments. To receive funding and other training supports, RTOs, employers and trainers must submit training plans and maintain records.

Access the Australian Apprenticeship website at: <http://www.australian apprenticeships.gov.au/Australian_Apprentice/default.asp>

What supports are available for apprentices with a disability?



Employers must comply with specific requirements in regards to the day-to-day management of their apprentices and trainees, including meeting legal requirements such as recordkeeping, reporting and adhering to the training plan. Training providers must provide adequate training, meet the training plan and meet the client’s needs. The apprentice also must maintain their paperwork.

These requirements must be properly established and maintained to meet government requirements. Facilitators of apprentices and trainees need to be mindful of these regulatory requirements.

Preparing the mentor Mentoring is a skill and can be learned. This requires some form of training for the mentor. Among other issues, the training program may need to address areas including:

● complying with relevant work health and safety and workplace regulations

● meeting privacy regulations and how to deal with sensitive or confidential issues

● communication skills including active listening skills, questioning and showing empathy

● learning versus telling, the difference between developing skills and knowledge, and giving advice and information

● learning processes and learning styles

● appropriate use of information

● professional relationship-building skills.

Case study: Mentor training

Georgia negotiated with the TAFE that delivers training to the apprentices, to deliver the Workforce Supervisor Skill Set to Dennis and Mick. Mick reports to Georgia that he was pleasantly surprised with training. He explains how he first thought he was going to be a ‘childminder’ when he was to be involved in the mentor program. He now realises that he needs to be a listener more than a kindergarten teacher. Dennis is less positive. ‘Look, I know best and when I’m giving advice to the apprentices, they need to listen and learn. I’m happy to help these kids, but having a “conversation” is so inefficient. If they learn to listen, then they’ll be good plumbers and that is most important.’



Responsibilities of a mentor Clutterbuck1 suggests the mentor should:

M Manage the relationship

E Encourage the mentee

N Nurture the mentee

T Teach the mentee

O Offer mutual respect

R Respond to mentee’s needs

Notice some of these responsibilities are attitudes and values. For example, ‘nurture’ and ‘encourage’. Other responsibilities are behavioural, such as ‘respect’ and ‘teach’. They are things we do, not just what we think. Both attitudinal and behavioural responsibilities make up a mentoring relationship.

A good mentor develops the relationship by taking on the responsibilities below. This includes a positive attitude that fosters the mentee’s emotional wellbeing and maintains legal and workplace responsibilities.

Attitudinal responsibilities: Legal and workplace responsibilities:

● ‘encouragers’ who build on skills and aptitude already present

● responsive active listeners who use questioning and active listening techniques

● givers of feedback with effective oral and written communication skills

● teachers who establish learning relationships within a WHS, regulatory and workplace environment

● professionals who ensure professional relationships between colleagues and act as a role model within the workplace

1 Clutterbuck, D., 2004, Everyone needs a mentor: fostering talent in your organisation, 4th edn, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, London.



Attitudinal responsibilities: Legal and workplace responsibilities:

● patient and organised individuals who allow discussions and solutions to occur at the mentee’s pace

● personable individuals with a genuine interest in people, learning and collaboration.

● confidants who maintain integrity and keep discussions confidential

● managers of diversity and workplace politics who accept and respect different work styles, learning styles and choices in life.

Because the mentee is central in setting the agenda, learning and development will occur at the pace which best suits their abilities. However, if they are in control of their learning, they will adopt change more willingly and that change will be enduring.

With other mentees the change may be rapid. Once an idea germinates from their own efforts, mentees will have a positive attitude to changing work habits and attitudes. With new skills, mentees can also participate actively in the workplace.

Remember, the mentor’s role is to develop a learning relationship by collaborating with the mentee to find solutions and develop problem-solving skills. You will need to resist the temptation to solve the mentee’s problems before giving them a chance to work through the issues themselves.

Case study: Mentor responsibilities

Dennis has his first mentoring session with Wayne, who has been with the company for six months. Georgia has met with the apprentices twice to prepare them for the mentoring program. She explained how the objective of the program was to support them through their apprenticeship and to provide them with a chance to talk through issues that arise and to develop new skills. So after Dennis contacts Wayne and organises the first meeting, Wayne arrives at the session with a list of prepared issues he wants to discuss. Wayne is surprised when Dennis begins to tell him all he knows about the company and how he thinks Wayne should act to best get on with his colleagues. Wayne listens patiently. At the end, Dennis asks if Wayne has any questions. Wayne says that one of the supervisors is very short-tempered and he gets nervous when he works on-site with him. As a result, Wayne tends to make silly errors. Dennis says he will see what he can do.



Topic 2: Facilitate a Mentoring Relationship

Even if you are provided with a mentoring plan, you will still need to establish the ground rules for the mentoring relationship. Establish the mentoring relationship by developing mentoring agreements. These might be drawn up in conjunction with formal contracts, or with training plans as found in a traineeship or apprenticeship. The relationship could be less formal and may be established through a handshake or an email.

You will also need to plan the mentoring sessions. These might be structured arrangements such as formal scheduled meetings or informal lunchtime meetings, coffees or chats. These can also be scheduled on an ad-hoc basis where and when the mentee requires assistance. As mentioned previously, the structure of the mentoring session is best decided by meeting the objectives of the mentoring agreement and the needs of the mentee.

Creating a sound learning relationship between participants is not an exact science. There are a number of considerations that need to be weighed.

● Can participants choose their mentor or mentee? Choice allows for better matching, as both the mentee and the mentor will come to the arrangement with greater enthusiasm and confidence. However, allowing choice in an organisation will disadvantage those mentees who miss out on the preferred mentors. And those mentees who link up with the most influential mentor may get preferential treatment.

● Does the mentor have time? Mentors chosen from positions of responsibility will often have competing demands, and when production schedules or organisational issues become pressing, the mentor program may be asked to give way. When one party fails to maintain the mentoring relationship, enthusiasm and rapport quickly diminish.

● Is there sufficient enthusiasm for the project? Mentoring works best when it is voluntary. An imposed mentoring program will often fail through lack of interest.

● Are participants too different or too similar? Too different and the rapport may be limited. Too similar and the mentor may have no new insights or ways of thinking to extend the learning of the mentee. Other compatibility issues include:

○ gender

○ age

○ cultural background

○ employment relationship

○ work commitment.



● Will there be rapport between the mentor and the mentee? The initial phase of the mentoring program is spent building rapport, i.e. their relationship. If there is a lack of rapport, the mentor may not be the most appropriate person to suit the mentee’s needs.

Mentoring skills

Part of the mentoring process requires compliance with regulatory and workplace procedures. You need to consider planning both the organisational and content of the program.

The following learning topics consider the planning processes to facilitate a mentoring relationship and the mentoring skills required to help communication become a learning opportunity.

Planning Before participants engage in mentoring sessions, the planning and organisational stages of the program need to be confirmed. Prioritise the identification of work health and safety issues in the confirmation of planning. This first step may include:

● meeting regulatory and contractual agreements, including apprenticeship or traineeship arrangements where they exist

● workplace access and authorisation procedures to venues and resources

● notification to authorities and key stakeholders prior to commencing the mentoring program

● identifying and complying with reporting procedures.

As well as administrative organisation, you will need to consider the content of the mentoring program. Ideally the mentee needs to take a prominent role in setting the agenda and establishing the content of the program. This ensures they set the learning agenda as well as develop their own planning skills. The mentee has opportunities for planning by contributing to the mentoring agreement and, prior to the first mentoring session, helping establish an agenda. This may include deciding what needs to be discussed and requesting resources required.

Part of the mentor’s role may well be to assist the mentee, and establish:

● time in your own schedule to fully attend and focus on the issues under discussion in the mentoring session

● time for the mentee to participate fully in the session

● the times and dates of the session

● the session format

● the agenda for discussion

● the finalisation of activities and information from the previous session.

Consider how you can comply with regulatory considerations by completing Activity 6: WHS considerations



Mentoring sessions The mentoring meetings or mentoring sessions should be based around agenda items established in advance. If the session is not the first meeting, issues previously raised requiring resolution should be completed.

The session needs to be structured to ensure a conversation can take place. This means paying attention to each stage of the process. The right atmosphere and tone will be established by paying attention to all the details. This includes showing courtesy, and respecting issues of privacy and inclusion.

● Establish rapport by greeting. Use informal comments, questions and discussions to match the tone and the demeanour of the mentee.

● Allow the opportunity for unexpected issues to arise that may have arisen since the agenda was decided or that may be pressing for the mentee. Remember, the mentee should be given some control over the direction of the meeting.

● Open the ‘focused’ part of the session by referring to the agenda and the items that the mentee has included for discussion.

● Use active listening – facing the mentee, nodding, encouraging further development of ideas and testing ideas with additional questions.

● Use questioning and summarising techniques to clarify the ideas, feelings and perceptions you hear.

● Offer support, encouragement and admiration for achievements and for positive changes.

● Seek additional solutions rather than finding fault with underachievement.

● Resist the temptation to solve the problem or to offer a solution. Provide advice, present options, and reflect alternative points of view for the mentee to consider.

● Keep an eye on the clock. Remember to allow time for:

○ setting the agenda for the next meeting

○ setting out-of-session tasks for both participants

○ alerting the mentee that the mentoring relationship may be soon ending and that alternative supports, if needed, may need to be developed.

● Provide feedback, if part of the mentoring agreement, on the mentee’s work performance to-date.

● Provide feedback on the mentee’s performance in the mentoring session. Encourage them to make comment on the value or otherwise of the session.

● Close the meeting in a polite, friendly tone using appropriate protocols, and clarifying items and activities to be completed prior to the next session.



Developing rapport Developing rapport in the initial stages of a mentoring relationship is important. Rapport is a comfortable familiarity and trust. In a mentoring context, rapport is necessary to ensure the mentee can bring a variety of issues for discussion and feel the issues will be dealt with confidentially and carefully. Rapport ensures there is a dialogue or conversation between the participants. This is vital in a learning relationship so that the mentee can explore and develop their own ideas in response to workplace issues.

Rapport is developed from mutual respect; it arises by not prejudging or labelling a person. When we are judged by others, we often feel alienated and unwelcomed. When we are accepted, we tend to offer respect and acceptance in return.

Acceptance and rapport encourages engagement and discussion. Pre-judgement and disapproval discourages participation and discourages confidence. Mentees are more likely to participate and value a mentoring relationship when they feel included and valued in turn. The principles that underpin inclusive practice include:

● providing equal opportunity for participation

● fostering and advocating mentee independence

● ensuring cooperative approaches to learning

● supporting, encouraging and valuing individual contributions in the mentoring relationship

● acknowledging current strengths and skills as a basis for further learning.

This is good news for mentors, as human rights and equal opportunity legislation makes it very clear that mentors should never prejudge or make assumptions about people because of the above. However, it’s important to ensure practices and procedures accommodate the differences that arise because of a person’s disability, gender, cultural or religious difference.

A mentee who feels respected and not judged will be much more likely to open up with their views and opinions. When there is an honest engagement between the mentor and mentee, learning is more likely to take place. Mutual respect and tolerance leads to rapport.

Professionalism also leads to rapport. Keeping the mentoring relationship within the bounds of the agreement, and modelling professional behaviour not only is a learning experience for the mentee, it gives a reference point for discussion and learning as issues arise. If your relationship is casual, there is no capacity to guide the mentee into good practice. Keeping the relationship professional also provides a reference point for acceptable and unacceptable behaviour. By following the mentoring plan and the mentoring agreement, you can better deal with conflict and difference if it arises.

Note: Principles of inclusivity can be found on the Australian Human Rights Commission website: <https://www.human rights.gov.au>



Active listening A learning relationship is promoted when the comments of the mentee are valued. During a mentoring session the mentor needs to be attentive to what the mentee is saying. Consider more than just the words. Look at the posture, the facial expressions and the hand movements of the mentee. Are they anxious, relaxed or open in their comments? Your response needs to take into account the non-verbal communication signs projected. Do not confuse the content and the way the content is being delivered. By taking into account the non-verbal cues, you can create added understanding to what the mentee is feeling and saying.

Other guidance for effective listening includes the following advice.

Provide silence There is no need to fill in every pause with your own comments, advice or questions. Give the other person time to think and formulate their ideas, as well as thinking about and formulating your own responses. This also prevents you from cutting into the mentee’s conversation and train of thought.

Reflect back what is said to you

Restate and repeat what you hear to help the mentee clarify their own thoughts and also to help you, the mentor, ensure you are hearing what the mentee has said.

Avoid premature problem-solving

Even when the answer is obvious to you, stay focused on the function of the mentoring relationship. Remember, it is a learning relationship. Allow time for the mentee to arrive at their own conclusions. In doing so, you are providing a learning experience for the mentee that they can draw on in the future.

Encourage participation by being positive

Be positive and professional in what you say about others and the issues under discussion. Although it is a private session, do not fall into the trap of passing on personal feelings about colleagues and workplace issues. Model professional behaviour by not being critical of others. Look for solutions rather than apportioning blame, and discuss the mentee’s response. Empathy is not necessarily promoted by appealing to the lowest common denominator. By speaking in a positive manner, you are modelling behaviour that the mentee can draw on in the future.



Case study: Building rapport

Mick contacts Michelle, a third-year, and the company’s first female apprentice. Mick sets up their first meeting. Michelle, who has had two meetings with Georgia to explain the mentoring program, comes prepared with a list of issues for discussion. Mick begins the session by introducing himself, telling Michelle about his time in the company. He makes small talk, asking her about her family and how she got into plumbing. The discussion moves to how she is enjoying the apprenticeship and how she enjoys her time at TAFE. Mick notices she doesn’t say anything about how much she enjoys working at the company. He thinks this might be an issue but he says nothing. He decides it is important to build rapport first. He encourages Michelle to tell him about her list of issues. One of the issues Michelle raises is the trouble she is having with the calculations and measurements components of the TAFE course. Mick says he’s not sure how he can help but he will see what he can do. Mick is applying what he has learned: that the mentee needs to set the agenda, and that building rapport takes time.

Feedback Feedback is an important part of any learning process. Feedback is a way of developing a relationship and promoting learning. It provides you both with an understanding of any gaps that may exist.

Feedback helps people to stay on target and thus achieve goals. It is a crucial component of learning, and includes comment, praise, criticism and suggestions about both your own and the mentee’s performance. Feedback allows both of you to know what you are doing right and where to improve.

In a mentoring relationship, how you give feedback will impact on the learning process and on the mentoring relationship itself. If feedback is constructive, it can motivate you to improve your performance. If feedback is overly critical or sarcastic, it is destructive. It discourages the mentee, and causes resentment. If the feedback is vague or unnecessarily positive, then learning does not occur.

It is important that you give feedback to your mentee throughout the mentoring program, rather than waiting until the end of the program or the achievement of a particular goal. If there are areas for improvement, then the mentee needs to know about these straight away, so that they can do something about them.

Similarly, you should obtain regular feedback from your mentee and other key stakeholders in the mentoring relationship. This will provide you with ongoing opportunities to improve your performance.



Prepare for the mentoring program by completing Activity 7: Giving feedback

Feedback may be given through:

Constructive feedback While any feedback that you give to your mentee will have either a positive or a negative slant, it also needs to be constructive. The mentee needs to know exactly what they are doing well, and should therefore continue to do, and what they need to improve. It is important that the feedback is specific.

Constructive feedback can be given using a four-step approach.

Consider the following points.

● Feedback should be based on actions and facts rather than emotions and feelings.

● Look for opportunities to provide positive feedback on the mentee’s performances.

● Invite the mentee to provide feedback on their performance before you provide your own comment. If they can identify their own weaknesses, this removes the mentor’s obligation to pass on negative feedback. Self-reflection is a great way of learning how to improve their work practices into the future.

● Feedback should be specific. Do not use vague phrases such as ‘well done’, or ‘that was great’. These provide little guidance. To those comments, add specific actions and details, for example, ‘the way you took over the tyre-changing job after Mick hurt his hand showed initiative and teamwork. That was well received by the other mechanics in the repair shop.’

● Feedback should be fair and reasonable. Be certain that the feedback focuses on what the mentee is responsible for and can influence.

describe the current

behaviouridentify the

situationdescribe

impact and consequences

identify alternative behaviours and action

plan

Interview Formal discussion

Informal discussion Written questionnaire



Providing advice When a mentee has a problem and asks a question, the quick and obvious approach is to give an answer

When a question or inquiry provides an opportunity for learning, a mentor could use a number of approaches to provide advice and assistance to the mentee. These include:

● teasing out opinions and ideas using questions

● examination of the issue through problem-solving techniques

● exploring the mentee’s or the mentor’s prior experiences

● using anecdotes about previous experiences or from the industry.

Case study: Leave it to the mentee

Dennis proudly enters his second session with Wayne and says he has it all sorted! He’s spoken to the supervisor who makes Wayne nervous, explained the problem, and told him to back off from harassing Wayne! Wayne is horrified. Dennis is surprised at Wayne’s reaction. Not only has Wayne not learned new skills, but his trust has been betrayed. Dennis needs to understand that effective mentoring comes when the mentee works through their solutions and issues with guidance. Mentors are not problem-solvers who directly intervene on behalf of the mentee. Their first aim should be to guide the mentee towards the solution of their own problems.

Questions Questions are often used in a learning environment to promote thought and reflection. There are two types of questions: open and closed questions.

Closed questions require a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer. Open questions have no prescribed answer and require the respondent to think and further engage with the topic.

Open questions Open questions encourage participation and interaction. They can draw out the knowledge and experience of the mentee. Open questions encourage people to express their ideas and opinions. For example:

● Why do you think that happens?

● What can you do about this problem?

● How do you think you could deal with that in the future?

● Where do you feel we could improve?



Prepare for the mentoring program by completing Activity 8: Developing questions

Closed questions Closed questions are used for confirmation. Closed questions do not encourage interaction – they tend to close down conversation.

Here are some examples of closed questions.

● Are you finished?

● Have you reached your target?

● Are you enjoying the job?

● Is the system working?

The functions of questions Questions can be used to facilitate involvement and interaction. Ask opinion questions and hypothetical questions to promote imaginative and creative responses. This can extend the way the mentee thinks about the content and skills being developed.

Ask closed and knowledge-based questions to determine if the mentee has understood the point under discussion. This is particularly important in areas of work health and safety or other areas where there is no room for error and little room for interpretation. Be prepared to support a response that is wrong by exploring where the error arose rather than condemning the error.

Ask additional questions after answers to encourage independent thinking and to encourage an exploration of ideas. Importantly, acknowledge and value all responses. It does not take much to demotivate mentees who ‘feel’, either wrongly or rightly, that the mentor thinks their response and their thoughts are worthless.

Case study: Target questions to guide the mentee

Mick begins the second mentoring session with Michelle by asking if there are any issues she wants to discuss. She says there is nothing urgent. Mick says he has been thinking about her problems with maths. He asks her if she is also having problems with calculations at work. Are there specific problems and specific calculations that cause her problems? Has she always had difficulty with maths? What is she is doing about getting help? What might she be able to do get help? After some discussion, Michelle decides on a course of action including talking to her TAFE trainer about possible help with maths and using the calculator function on her mobile phone when she is on-site. Michelle is learning how to interact with authority figures and to think through issues and arrive at her own conclusions.



Troubleshooting

Mentors require the knowledge to prevent the relationship from breaking down and the skill to resurrect them if they do.

Preventing differences The following are common causes of differences in a learning relationship:

● differences in needs, objectives and values

● different expectations of objectives.

A mentor can best prevent problems from occurring by planning and communicating the roles of mentee and mentor carefully and clearly. This avoids misunderstandings and misconceptions.

As mentioned earlier, a mentor needs to demonstrate an open communication style which models appropriate behaviour. Model a flexible approach which is sensitive to culture, ethics and gender.

Mentors should use a range of communication and interpersonal skills to support the relationship. This may involve using the terminology and language of the industry and ensuring the language, literacy and numeracy used is appropriate to the learner.

Make sure your learner can understand the words you are using. The same applies for anything you provide in written form and in any situation where your learner needs to understand or use numbers.

Make sure you are not patronising your mentee by making your words too simple. You should find out about your learner’s language, literacy and numeracy (LLN) skills during the planning phase. You will need to use this information as part of the process of developing and maintaining a collaborative learning relationship.

Allow mentees to have their say. When responding to the mentee’s contributions, listen actively and critically, show empathy, and remain open to opinions and ideas expressed.

Resolving problems The key to resolving problems is to understand that the mentoring relationship is both a professional and a learning relationship. Hopefully the rapport between the participants is good, but that should not mean that the sessions lose focus. Stay directed towards the goals established in the mentoring agreement and the likelihood of problems arising will be minimal.

The following are also common causes of problems in a learning relationship:

● differences in the way we understand motives, words, actions and situations

● an unwillingness to work through issues.

Note: Much of the information contained in this troubleshooting section is valuable to impart to your mentee. Problem-solving skills and decision-making skills in particular will likely be an important part of their training.



Differences in opinion are inevitable. The trick is to not let it get in the way of rapport.

Differences in ideas and opinions can be healthy when they cause people to explore new ideas, test their perceptions, views and beliefs, and stretch their imagination. Differences become unhealthy when they disrupt the learning relationship.

Difference needs to be addressed when it restricts learning, causes strained relationships, communication breakdown and deterioration in trust and mutual support.

Consider the following diagram, which describes a useful process for resolving problems.

Act quickly The moment behaviour falls outside regulatory guidelines or disrupts learning, set a standard by addressing the behaviour immediately. This may range from quietly asking the mentee to stop, through to using questioning and listening techniques to understand and facilitate a resolution that is acceptable to both of you.

Stay removed from the conflict Always be professional in a mentoring relationship. Maintain your own professional integrity and courtesy so that if the situation becomes aggressive or disruptive, you are always compliant with the mentoring agreement and how it describes the nature of the relationship.

Separate the act from the actor Separate the problem from the person so that whatever is said and done is focused on behaviour and the issues, not personality. If the mentee expresses disapproval about the course of the relationship, or if they suggest your role is ineffective, treat that comment as a professional judgement, not a personal one.

Compare the comments against the terms of the mentoring agreements and your understanding of the agreement. Try not to personalise them.

Active listening Actively listen and question rather than making hasty judgements. Question and drill down to the root of the problem. Focus on understanding and seeking a solution, not on the hurtful comments.

act quicklystay

removed from the conflict

separate the act

from the actor

listen do not

impose a solution



Use your listening and questioning skills to understand the differences. Determine the objective, observable elements of the differences rather than accusations and feelings.

Solutions cannot be imposed Invite the mentee to provide a solution and test the solution against the mentoring plan or mentoring agreement. Try not to impose a solution. Try to negotiate a compromise, accommodation or alternative by talking through the problems. In the discussion, focus on what is agreed on, and remember that it is a learning process. Your aim is to provide learning opportunities for the mentee.

Case study: Resolving differences

Wayne sits quietly in the third mentoring session and says very little. Dennis notices how Wayne seems uninterested and disengaged in the process. He feels annoyed and says so. ‘Wayne, you know I’ve got better things to do than to sit here while you have a rest.’ Wayne says in reply, ‘Yes, and I’ve got better things to do than be abused by the supervisor who reckons I went whingeing to you, and says I’m a “loser”’. Dennis falls silent. He has just finished the unit TAEDEL404A Mentor in the workplace from the Workplace Supervisor Skill Set, and realises his error. Now is the time to resolve differences, he thinks. Dennis quickly apologises for his actions and says he had made a mistake in going to the supervisor. He wants the mentoring sessions to work and thinks he could do a better job in the future. He suggests that they should finish the session, and when they next meet, Wayne can decide if he would like to continue the sessions; or maybe, he might want to use a different mentor. Dennis is learning that it is both the mentor’s and the mentee’s role to drive the direction and the outcomes of the process.

Problem-solving When mentoring, you will likely need to aid your mentee to solve problems in their work. Think back to the case study earlier in this part, and the consequences of Wayne’s intervening in Dennis’s problem with his supervisor. Mentors will often find themselves needing to guide their mentee through difficulties in their work, whether these problems are people-related or work-skill-related. There are numerous problem-solving techniques and processes that you and your mentee can use.

Practice identifying the conflict and conflict resolution by completing Activity 9: Resolving differences



Why, what, how? Simply asking questions of any issue will focus the mind of the mentee onto the problem and prevent the mentor from offering impromptu advice. Remember, a mentoring relationship is a learning relationship, and thoughtful questions from the mentor will help the mentee arrive at their own conclusions.

Once the problem is identified – for example, ‘I do not get on well with my supervisor’ – ask the mentee: ‘Why?’ Add additional questions to drill down to the core of the problem. Through sensitive use of questions and a little bit of active listening, the mentee will be guided to a clearer picture of what the problem is.

Flow diagram The procedure below is general in nature and can be applied using questions and by leading the mentee through a discussion.

Define the problem

Specify the desired outcomes

Develop options and actions

Evaluate the options and choose one

Take the action

Evaluate and review the outcomes



SWOT analysis The SWOT analysis asks the mentee to focus on:

This process is often used in business to identify new markets and identify threats to existing business. Mentees can use this tool to identify their workplace strengths and workplace weaknesses. They can think through new opportunities to remedy those weaknesses and to eliminate threats to workplace performance. This process would make an excellent first or second session activity for a mentee as it would direct their mind towards remedies for perceived weaknesses in performance.

Case study: Finding a solution

In the third session, Michelle reports back to Mick that her TAFE trainer has suggested some websites that may be of help and that she is getting specialist help from the TAFE learning support people. Michelle, who has now developed a little more trust and rapport with Mick, suggests that she might need help with a workplace issue. She explains that on their current worksite they are doing a lot of plumbing installation work at height. She does not like working at height and finds it hard to complete the tasks quickly. The supervisor is putting a lot of pressure on her to get the job done quickly. She is actually thinking that plumbing may not be the job for her. Mick asks her about the type of requests being made, the health and safety concerns she is facing and how she is performing some of the tasks. He asks Michelle about the way she responds to the supervisors’ instructions. Mick explains the supervisors’ role and the pressure they are under to meet budgets. Michelle was unaware of this. Mick asks Michelle what she wants out of the work situation. She says ideally that if she works at height, she doesn’t want to be rushed to complete the task. Mick asks if she can see any solutions. Michelle suggests talking to the supervisor and seeing if there are other tasks she could do, or if she is working at height, to work on tasks without a tight timeline. Together they run through how Michelle might approach the supervisor and what she might say.

Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats



Michelle has learned about workplace procedures and has developed some of her own ideas about how to deal with supervisors. She has developed new skills about ‘managing up’.

Advice through anecdotes A mentor can recount anecdotes or prior experiences to offer advice and encourage reflection. When mentees are faced with a problem, mentors should ask the mentee to reflect on a time in their lives when they had a similar problem.

For example, the mentor may ask questions such as the following.

● How did you handle the situation at the time?

● Was the situation resolved?

● Was the resolution satisfactory?

● What would you do differently if a similar problem were to arise?

A mentor can recount times from their own work life when they experienced similar problems, or tell an anecdote that explains the conflict in a different context. The mentee will then have to apply the events from the anecdote to their situation. This removes the onus from the mentor to answer a question directly and allows the mentee to draw conclusions and to see possibilities for themselves.

Networking Networking is a key element of any industry and needs to be incorporated into the mentoring program. Having had significant industry experience, you will have a bank of networking contacts and will also be able to provide advice on how networks are established and built.

Networks can take many forms and can vary greatly, even within the same industry. The size, shape and function of a network will change for every individual. Some are small and informal; others are large and formal and often contain sub-groups. Encourage mentees to think about the sorts of networks they think would suit them and their needs.

Case study: Helping mentees to network

At their fourth session, Wayne suggests to Dennis that he is ready to continue with the sessions, as some of what Dennis has told him has been useful. Dennis asks Wayne if he could include some additional guidelines to the mentoring sessions. Dennis points to particular guidelines around his role as a mentor and says he wants to emphasise his role as guide and a ‘sounding board’ rather than a leader.



He then asks Wayne a little about why he wanted to become a plumber and what Wayne wants out of the career.

Wayne talks about running his own business one day and Dennis asks him how he intends to do this. Wayne has not mapped out any career plan and Dennis asks him if he’d like to spend some of the mentoring time working on a career plan. Wayne says yes.

Dennis also suggests a former colleague that Wayne may be able to contact for advice, as he now runs his own business.

Dennis is learning that rapport and trust can only be built over time. He is also learning that the success of a mentoring program rests with the mentee’s participation as much as it rests with the mentor.



Topic 3: Monitor and Evaluate Mentoring Relationships

A mentoring relationship is never static. The mentee’s needs and abilities will change over time as their skills develop and their attitudes are refined. As discussion and reflection are acted upon, the mentee will develop new work skills, new work attitudes or have their existing work practices reinforced. A successful mentoring program aims for incremental change and learning over the course of the program.

As mentees develop within a work environment, their needs will change. A new apprentice may have different needs than a third- or final-year apprentice. The initial learning objectives may no longer reflect their needs.

Inevitably, unplanned issues to do with work skills or work relationships will arise and these make excellent and immediate agenda items within a mentoring session. These should be discussed as the need arises. These changes need to be incorporated into the program as well.

Workplaces change. As defined earlier, a mentoring program will usually extend over a significant period of time. Within that time, the needs of the program may be changed as new policies and procedures are enacted in the workplace. Mentors may leave or move into other areas and this could disrupt the program.

The mentoring agreement will need to be reviewed periodically, and the learning objectives of a mentoring agreement can change.

Mentoring prompts

Discussion

Reflection

Change/no change

in behaviour



Monitoring processes

Monitoring is an important process to ensure the program is achieving its goals and is being conducted effectively. Monitoring requires the collection of data that establishes how closely the learning objectives are being met.

A mentoring program left without proper monitoring and evaluation runs the risk of petering out. Not only does monitoring help determine the effectiveness of the program, it ensures the organisation is supporting, and continues to show interest in, the operation of the mentoring program. The mentor and the mentee know that the program is valued by the organisation.

Monitoring the program must take into account issues of confidentiality. It also needs to take into account the perceptions of the mentee and the mentor. One of the required skills of a mentor is to be able to establish rapport and professional confidence within the mentoring relationship, which allows the mentee to give feedback that includes negative comments and suggested changes without the mentor taking offence.

Stakeholders who may need to be informed of the progress of the program include:

● the mentee and the mentor

● managers or supervisors

● third-party organisations such as RTOs, support services or specialist trainers

● regulatory and administrative organisations such as apprenticeship support agencies

● training supports such as disability or Language Literacy and Numeracy programs

● program organisers and co-workers.

Monitoring a mentoring program will take account of a number of indicators including:

● frequency of the mentoring sessions

● mentoring attendance records

● mentoring session agenda and discussion records as described in Appendix 4

● mentee workplace reports and performance records

● mentee workplace rosters and attendance records

● reports, questionnaires and surveys completed together by the mentor and mentee

● informal discussions, formal interviews and reviews with the mentor, mentee and other stakeholders

● exit surveys and questionnaires completed individually

● third-party reports and questionnaires.

Consider the monitoring and evaluation procedures by completing Activity 10: Monitoring and formative evaluation processes



Monitoring is best carried out with both the engagement of the mentor and the mentee. As part of the ongoing mentoring process, you should discuss with your mentee the effectiveness of the program. Not only does this reflect good practice but it reinforces the control over the process by the mentee.

When should you evaluate a program? You should plan to review the mentoring program while it is occurring (formative evaluation) and at its conclusion (summative evaluation).

Summative evaluation Summative evaluation occurs at the end of the learning program and allows you to formally examine the entire mentoring program. The final evaluation could be about the outcomes: schedules met, budget outcomes or completion rates. Summative evaluation is a formal evaluation process. Even though summative evaluation occurs at the end of the learning program, it is likely you will be collecting data during the process. You may have already used some of this data during your formative evaluation activities.

The two types of evaluation are important. You will need to use formative evaluation in order to assess the closure of the mentoring program before you can implement your summative evaluation. Summative evaluation will be discussed in further detail in the coming pages.

Formative evaluation Formative evaluation collects data while the mentoring program is in progress. It can take place on a formal basis or when it becomes apparent that an improvement is necessary. This could be triggered through feedback or personal reflection. Formative evaluation could be about checking the mentee’s progress, budgets, schedules and completion rates. As formative evaluation is part of the ongoing mentoring program, as opposed to summative evaluation, it can be an informal evaluation process.

As noted above, you will need to use formative evaluation in order to assess the closure of the mentoring program.

Case study: Changing needs and planning

Dennis continued with Wayne for the rest of his first-year apprenticeship. During a discussion on planning for the following year, Wayne suggested he would like to approach Mick, and see if he would take him on as a mentee. Dennis used this request as a time to review the progress of the mentoring sessions. During the informal review, Wayne said he appreciated Dennis’ advice but he had lost confidence in Dennis and was finding it hard to openly discuss his progress through the apprenticeship with him. Dennis, although deflated, realised there was no use trying to build rapport with someone whom he had disappointed. Dennis has learned to separate the act from the actor, and although Wayne’s comments may be hurtful, his role as a mentor should be his focus.



They both approached Georgia about the idea. After a discussion with both of them, and with Mick, Georgia agreed to the idea. Dennis was given a new apprentice to mentor. Wayne asked Dennis to have a beer together after work to say ‘thanks’ for Dennis’ help and advice. Dennis also suggested a former colleague that Wayne may be able to contact for advice, as he now runs his own business. Dennis has learned that closing a mentoring relationship will occur when the mentee feels they are ready. He has learned to listen closely to the mentee and to evaluate the program as it progresses.

Close the mentoring relationship

Mentoring is a learning relationship and is designed to become redundant as the mentee develops. However, that does not diminish feelings, particularly if there was good rapport between the mentee and the mentor. Closing the mentoring relationship will work most smoothly when the time and procedure for terminating the relationship is worked out in advance, either in the first few sessions or in the mentoring agreement. It may be closed when the mentee completes the traineeship or apprenticeship. It may be when particular organisational or learning objectives have been achieved.

By describing the time of closure, both the mentee and the mentor can prepare for the disengagement and can also set in place additional supports if required.

Closure in mentoring should also be a time of celebration, as it would indicate the learning objectives may have been achieved and the mentee feels capable and able to proceed in the workplace.

Unexpected mentoring closure may result in sadness or a sense of loss.

To prepare for closure, planned or otherwise, consider the following procedures.

● Ensure the original mentoring agreement allows for either party to withdraw from the agreement. Apply a no-fault rule, which requires the termination of the relationship without a need to explain to the other. However, this will have implications for monitoring and evaluation.

● If the mentee chooses to close the relationship, do not question or query unnecessarily. Leave the door open in case circumstances change.

● Make sure both partners to the mentoring relationship are happy with the direction of the discussions by either informally or formally evaluating the progress of the program.

● Regularly review the mentoring agreement and the learning objectives.

● Always communicate your appreciation and celebrate your accomplishments together either before or after the mentoring relationship has ended.

Refer to your mentoring agreements or mentoring documents and complete Activity 11: Closing the relationship



Summative evaluation

As noted earlier, there are two types of evaluation: formative and summative. Summative evaluation is that which occurs after the conclusion of the mentoring program, so as to ensure quality improvement.

Summative evaluation is important for all parties – the mentor, the mentee, other stakeholders and the organisation as a whole – in order to examine the success (or failure) of the program, and to make improvements for future programs.

To evaluate any program, you will first need to design evaluation tools and identify participants who will participate in the process. Then, you will collect the data and review the results.

The mentoring program should be evaluated against the mentoring plans and the mentoring agreement. The mentoring plan should have made explicit the organisational aims, while the mentoring agreement should have made explicit the learning objectives of the mentee. The data collected can then be measured against the aims and learning objectives. Some of the benefits of mentoring, however, may be a little more difficult to measure.

It may be difficult to find data that reflects benefits to the mentor, such as personal growth, enjoyment in a colleague’s development and the self-esteem that comes from a learning relationship.

It may also be difficult for an organisation to find measurable data that reflects the collegiality and cooperative atmosphere created around a successful mentoring program, just as it may be difficult to identify the opposite from an unsuccessful program.

Subjective and objective evaluation Evaluation (both summative and formative), can be subjective and objective. Put simply, subjective evaluations make an evaluation of a program through feelings and impressions.

To make a subjective evaluation, you may talk to the participants directly, taking note of their comments, feelings and impressions. The mentor might make assessments about the program through what the mentee says and the way the mentee behaves as well as their impressions and feelings about the program.

Objective evaluations are specific and measurable. An objective evaluation compares the goals of a program with the measurable indicators of success. An objective evaluation might consider the number of non-attendance days at mentoring sessions, production rates of mentees, drop-out rates of apprentices or other measurable data.

Consider – which type of evaluation do you value more?

Note: Formal evaluation arrangements and responsibilities in relation to apprentices and trainees will need to be addressed on a regulator-by-regulator basis.



Factors to consider For evaluations to be useful they should be designed around the following factors.

● The learning objectives in the mentoring plan must be as clear and as specific as possible.

● The learning goals should be measurable. Even a concept such as work satisfaction can be measured through participation and completion rates. The learning objective might be to complete a traineeship or to develop specific production rates or sales targets.

● The learning objectives should also establish standards. They should say what they are aiming to achieve and the reason for the program and not just an action in the workplace. For that reason, a mentoring program might have as one of its learning goals, ‘Foster quality improvement processes in apprentices that ensures service recalls on standard motor services reduce from 3% to 1%’. Note: This example is not just about a measurable quantity. It explains what the mentoring program is aiming to achieve and why.

● Evaluations should also consider timing. Every mentoring program should specify a conclusion date, although as mentioned previously, this can be altered according to the progress of the mentee.

Evaluation tools If you have not already done so in your mentoring plan, collaborate with your key stakeholders to determine a suitable method to gather the required evaluation for feedback. An evaluation tool is useful to gather the feedback. Examples of evaluation tools include:

● a questionnaire – with open or closed questions about the program

● a mapping tool that tracks changes in behaviour against the adoption of the mentoring program

● a checklist

● a focus group discussion

● a structured interview.

Participants in the evaluation Once you have determined the evaluation tool and the criteria to be used to evaluate your mentoring program, you need to confirm who will be involved in the review process. Depending on the criteria, you may wish to gather feedback from some of the following key stakeholders, including:

● mentees, mentors, co-workers

● trainers, support services, and learning resource suppliers

● managers, employers, supervisors, team leaders

● industry, union or employee representatives

● human resource departments.



Collect data Consider the aims for your mentoring program. This refers back to the benchmarks you set in the mentoring plan. If it is an informal mentoring relationship, the goals may be vague. These aims may include promotions for the mentee, new networks, new management practices and different work behaviours exhibited by the mentee. Other benefits that come from informal mentoring include development of cooperative organisational cultures and positive attitudes to colleagues and the workplace. These attitudinal changes can be difficult to measure.

A formal mentoring relationship, however, will have specific criteria, goals or learning objectives. These may be expressed as:

Collecting the data around those criteria is easier as they are quantifiable numbers and indicators that can be measured.

The mentoring program needs to be reviewed against these criteria by gathering the data and comparing it against the program objectives.

Using evaluations If the evaluation has been a clear comparison of data with the learning goals or objectives, then assessments about success, failure and the required changes for improvements can be made by reviewers.

These evaluations may point to the mentee:

● gaining new competencies, qualifications or organisational recognition

● developing new skills and attributes

● gaining insights into and participating in organisational culture, attitudes and behaviours

● developing new networks

● gaining increased job satisfaction.

These evaluations may point to the mentor:

● gaining increased job satisfaction

● developing new skills and refining skills

● contributing to increased safety levels or increased production

● developing new networks.

retention rates in the

apprenticeship

production outputs or WHS

improvements days absent

worker satisfaction

surveys

Note: ‘Reviewers’ are stakeholders that may include mentees, mentors, managers or supervisors, funding organisations, training providers, and technical experts.



These evaluations may point to the organisation gaining:

● increased productivity, enhanced safety or compliance

● enhanced motivation

● enhanced commitment to learning

● an improved and improving mentoring system.

Adjusting the mentoring program After undertaking the evaluation process, there may be some clear links between the data and the current mentoring practices. As noted above, from these links, a number of recommendations may be made by the reviewers.

The next step is to review the recommendations and decide which ones will improve the mentoring program and which ones may be impractical. This decision is usually made in consultation with key stakeholders.

Changes to the mentoring program may include:

● amendments to mentor planning and mentor agreement formats

● changes to pairing procedures

● changes to session times and session formats

● amendments to the type of participants invited into the mentoring program

● changes to mentor training

● decisions on timing of closures to mentoring agreements.

Case study: Evaluating the mentoring program

Mick’s mentoring relationship with Michelle had progressed well through the rest of her apprenticeship. With only a few sessions left prior to the end of her apprenticeship, Mick suggested they use one of the sessions to draw up a review questionnaire for the program. The questionnaire would have provision for both of them to have input. They used the mentoring plan and the mentoring agreement to devise questions, and they asked Georgia if she could be part of the evaluation process as well. Mick used the evaluation process to change some practices and to keep others. Georgia used the evaluation process to increase the company’s funding commitment to HR. Mick’s feedback on Michelle helped her plan out a career path with the organisation. Michelle has learned sound business skills by seeing how a properly evaluated program can lead to improved practices. Georgia organised a morning tea for all the participants in the mentoring program to celebrate both the mentoring programs which were closing and the commencement of new mentees with Dennis and Mick.

Consider summative evaluation procedures by completing Activity 12: Evaluation methods

Application



Activity 1: Mentoring Types In conjunction with your mentee, discuss what type of mentoring relationship you will establish. Consider the following issues.

What is the mentoring relationship designed to achieve? For example:

● support an apprentice

● develop management skills

● induction

● other

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What do you, the mentee, hope to get from the relationship? Is it information about the workplace? Do you need advice on a role? Work skills?

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Activity 1: Mentoring Types


What do you, the mentor, hope to bring to the relationship? Do you have industry knowledge? Do you have an interest in the role of being a mentor?

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Explain which of the three roles best fit your relationship:

● traditional mentor–protégé relationship

● mentor–mentee relationship

● skills or work-role coach.

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Activity 2: Mentoring Questionnaire Fill in the following questionnaire with your mentee to clarify both yours and your mentee’s preferred mentoring processes.

Effective mentoring procedures

Mentor response: Mentee response:

When the mentoring relationship is a high priority for both of you, and you both have the same purpose in mind, the relationship is most likely to succeed.

This relationship is/is not so important because ...

This relationship is/is not so important because ...

When there is rapport and trust, the discussions become honest, open and useful.

I bond well with people who ...

I really do not like people who ...

I bond well with people who ...

I really do not like people who ...

Activity 2: Mentoring Questionnaire




When meetings are the right duration and frequency and are well planned, there will be a greater sense of moving along efficiently and productively.

I’d like mentoring sessions to be ...

They should be held every ...

I’d like mentoring sessions to be ...

They should be held every ...

Communication needs to be regular, consistent and in a form that works for you both.

I like communication through (phone, email, etc.) ...

I like communication through (phone, email, etc.) ...





When the mentee clearly identifies what help they need, the chances of success are greater.

When I am asked about issues, I want ...

No response required.

When feedback from the mentor is clear and honest and the mentee reacts with either thanks or acceptance, communication is fostered.

No response required.

When I receive feedback I like ...

Activity 3: Mentoring Plans and Mentoring Agreements



From within your practice environment, access the organisational plans and documents for the mentoring program. If your practice environment doesn’t have formal documents of this kind, have a discussion with your supervisor or facilitator about the organisational requirements in your practice environment.

Answer the following questions.

1. What are the organisational intentions of the mentoring relationship?

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2. What are the duties of the mentee?

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3. What are your duties as the mentor?

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4. Which stakeholders, including RTOs, regulators or co-workers, require information on the process? What types of information are required?

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5. Which work health and safety issues and workplace procedures require compliance?

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Activity 4: Matching Mentors and Mentees

Faizal, 19, is in his second year of a mechanics apprenticeship with a large city-based automotive sales, service and repair garage that employs 5 apprentices and 10 full-time mechanics. He is having difficulty with some technical aspects of the apprenticeship and there is evidence that this is causing tension between Faizal and some other mechanics.

Jane, the HR manager, thinks a mentoring program might be useful for all the apprentices.

Comment on the advantages and disadvantages of each of the four choices, and make a decision on who you believe would be the most appropriate mentor to Faizal.

Potential mentors for Faizal

Jack, 23 Mechanic, completed apprenticeship last year, WorldSkills Australia finalist. He is an impatient young man who really wants to get ahead fast. He has dreams of running his own garage and works really well on his own. He is very opinionated and often teases Mario about his European background.

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Activity 4: Matching Mentors and Mentees


Mario, 55 Co-owner, director and sales manager. Mario has been around the car service business all his life and enjoys the business. He likes to employ apprentices, as he is worried about the state of the business and realises it is hard to find good young mechanics. He is on an industry peak body and sees his role as an employer of apprentices as vital to the success of the trade in general.

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Chad, 43 Workshop supervisor and leading mechanic. Chad is well liked and respected by the apprentices and is very approachable. He has a good sense of humour, but despite this is focused on his work and is focused on ensuring that quality is delivered to the customer. He loves cricket and football and runs the football tipping competition at work. He loves to talk about sport during lunch breaks.

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Ronan, 62 Employee for eight years and full-time mechanic. Ronan has worked in a TAFE as well as in a wide variety of garages, large and small. He keeps very much to himself and prefers to work by himself. He is a perfectionist, and on numerous occasions has yelled at the apprentices when jobs are left undone or the garage floor is dirty. His belief is that young people should be seen and not heard.

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Which of the four is the most appropriate mentor? Why?

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Activity 5: Inclusion in the Workplace


Activity 5: Inclusion in the Workplace Access the Australian Human Rights Commission website, <https://www.humanrights.gov.au>, and click the link for ‘Employers’.

Click onto the alphabetical links to explore terms such as ‘discrimination’, ‘harassment’, and ‘bullying’, as well as ‘vicarious liability’.

● What is workplace discrimination and harassment? What are the responsibilities of employers to their staff (vicarious liability)?

Read through the material and note below your mentee’s rights and their employer’s obligations around:

● discrimination

● harassment

● bullying.

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Now explain these rights and responsibilities to your mentee.

Activity 6: WHS Considerations


Activity 6: WHS Considerations Access your relevant state or territory workplace WHS link. The relevant websites are listed below.

Australian Capital Territory: <http://www.worksafe.act.gov.au>.

South Australia: <http://www.safework.sa.gov.au>

New South Wales: <http://www.workcover.nsw.gov.au>

Tasmania: <http://www.worksafe.tas.gov.au>

Northern Territory: <http://www.worksafe.nt.gov.au>

Victoria: <http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au>

Queensland: <http://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au>

Western Australia: <http://www.worksafe.wa.gov.au>

Consider issues such as:

● slips, trips and falls

● noise

● induction training

● asbestos

● working at heights and fall protection

● first aid in the workplace

● lifting

● employer/employee guides.

Conduct a briefing for your mentee on work health and safety issues that may arise through the mentoring program.

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Activity 7: Giving Feedback


Activity 7: Giving Feedback With the permission of your mentee, record a mentoring session on either audio or visual media. If this is not possible, establish a simulated environment with a colleague or training partner. During the session, provide feedback regarding your mentee’s performance in the workplace and their performance in the mentoring sessions.

Play back the recording and reflect on your skills under the following points:

1. Divide the act from the actor.

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2. Make constructive comments about the mentee’s performance in the session.

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Activity 7: Giving Feedback


3. Encourage reflection by the mentee on their own performance.

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4. Ask your mentee how effectively you gave feedback within the session. How did they respond?

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Activity 8: Developing Questions


Activity 8: Developing Questions Develop some open questions that you might use in mentoring sessions to:

● prompt discussion of their attitude to work

● check their understanding of workplace procedures and processes

● prompt mentees to identify problems they may be having in the workplace

● tease out the causes and events around those problems

● prompt mentees to identify why they enjoy working

● encourage the mentee to plan for the next mentoring session.

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Activity 9: Resolving Differences


Activity 9: Resolving Differences Develop responses to the following complaints/negative comments from a mentee. Role-play some of these scenarios with your facilitator or colleagues.

Mentee’s comment Your response

I think we need to teach that supervisor a lesson. She is always yelling at us. The girls and I are going to put bleach into the tint bowl on her hairdressing trolley. Let’s see how she likes it when she stuffs up.

Every time I make a suggestion about something in the workplace, you say it is my fault and I have to change! This mentoring is no help, whatsoever!



You have your opinion and I have mine. We are different and there is no use talking about it anymore!

You could never hope to understand what it is like to work here. After all, you’re a woman! You’ve got no idea what it is like when the guys start picking on me.

Last month you were late for the mentoring session. The month before that you said you were going to get me information about some language support for trade school. I’m still waiting. This mentoring is a waste of time.

Activity 10: Monitoring and Formative Evaluation Processes


Activity 10: Monitoring and Formative Evaluation Processes

From within your workplace, access the organisational plans and documents around the mentoring program. If your practice environment doesn’t have formal documents of this kind, have a discussion with your supervisor or facilitator about the organisational requirements in your practice environment.


What are the objectives of the mentoring program?

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What data is collected from the mentoring program?

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Identify how the data can be used to measure whether the objectives are being met.

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Activity 11: Closing the Relationship


Activity 11: Closing the Relationship From within your practice environment, access the organisational plans and documents for the mentoring program. If your practice environment doesn’t have formal documents of this kind, have a discussion with your supervisor or facilitator about the organisational requirements in your practice environment.


1. What are the procedures for closing the mentoring relationship?

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2. What problems and issues do you see arising from closing the relationship?

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3. What preparations will you make prior to closing the relationship? Consider issues such as what needs to be done in the final sessions. What relationships, networks and supports need to be put in place?

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Activity 12: Evaluation Methods


Activity 12: Evaluation Methods Listed below are some evaluation methods you can use, or may have used, to evaluate the success of the mentoring program you have implemented with your mentee.

Evaluation method

Advantages/uses Disadvantages/weaknesses

Written questionnaire

Interview with mentee or other key stakeholders

Informal discussion with mentee or other key stakeholders

Self-evaluation by the mentor

Data collection



Which do you favour and why?

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The major reason for evaluating the level of success of your mentoring program, plan, agreement and relationship will be to make improvements and for you to learn how to do the job better.

What sort of information did/will you gather to assist with your evaluation?

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Who did/will you contact to gather that information? (For instance, the mentee’s manager, program planners, other mentors or colleagues, or other stakeholders.)

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What written documents did/will you analyse? (Examples may include mentoring plans, mentoring agreements, and other workplace documents, such as performance appraisals.)

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What sort of criteria would you, the mentor, be prepared to be measured against?

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On which skills or benchmarks should the mentee’s success be evaluated?

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Locate the questionnaires and evaluation forms that the participants will be required to fill out upon completion of the mentoring program. Will they provide effective data? Explain.

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Who are the stakeholders that require evaluative information about the mentoring program? How is the information relayed to the stakeholders?

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Appendices



Appendix 1: Learning Objectives Tool

Learning objectives tool

Mentee: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To be completed by the mentee and the mentor together.

Mentee’s learning objectives For example, what would you like to focus on? How might these sessions help you?

Mentor’s questions/prompts For example, what questions do you need to ask to clarify the mentee’s objectives?

How you will know you are there For example, describe specific, measurable achievable goals.

What other resources could you use? For example, internet options, networks, opportunities, training materials, books.

Appendix 1: Learning Objectives Tool


Mentee’s learning objectives For example, what would you like to focus on? How might these sessions help you?

Mentor’s questions/prompts For example, what questions do you need to ask to clarify the mentee’s objectives?

How you will know you are there For example, describe specific, measurable achievable goals.

What other resources could you use? For example, internet options, networks, opportunities, training materials, books.



Appendix 2: Sample Training Plan The following training plan has been adapted from one developed by Skills Victoria. This plan serves to illustrate a training plan for an apprentice or trainee. It makes references to mentoring within the training and assessment plan section. Additional information could be added as required.

Training plan – Part 1

Trai

ning

con

tract

det

ails

Qualification

Appr

entic

e/tra

inee

det

ails

Name

Qualification code

Delta no. (if known)

Apprenticeship/ traineeship

RTO student ID no. (if applicable)

Full-time/part-time/schools-based apprenticeship

Current position and/or the broad responsibilities of the apprentice/trainee in the workplace

Approved training scheme duration

Commencement date

Proposed completion date

Appendix 2: Sample Training Plan


Empl

oyer

det

ails

Name

RTO

deta

ils

Name

Workplace location

Contact person

Contact person

Contact number

Contact number

Position

Position

Host

em

ploy

er

(if a

pplic

able

)

Name

Stru

ctur

ed tr

aini

ng

Proposed commencement date

Workplace location

Contact person

Proposed completion date

Contact Number

Position



Training plan – Part 2

Employer Apprentice/trainee

RTO Delta no. (if known)

Qualification Qualification code

Units of competency (1: to be completed after the pre-training review)

Competence established (2: to be completed as competency is established)

Code Title Nominal hours

RPL/ RCC/CT

Date Assessor name Assessor signature

Appendix 2: Sample Training Plan


Training plan – part 3

Employer Apprentice/trainee

RTO Delta no. (if known)

Qualification Qualification code

Cycle no. Training and assessment proposal from (not more than three months)

To

Units of competency Workplace mentor, team leader or supervisor

Delivery Assessment Date proposed for final assessment Code Title WPB

1/off Trainer/s Method 2 Assessor



Appendix 3: Sample Mentoring Plan

Mentoring plan

Mentee: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mentor: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

To be completed by the mentoring lead.

Mentee’s learning objectives (i.e. what would you like to focus on? How might these sessions help you?)

Mentor’s questions/prompts (i.e. what questions do you need to ask to clarify the mentee’s objectives?)

How will you know you are there? (i.e. describe specific, measurable achievable goals)

What other resources could you use? (i.e. internet options, networks, opportunities, training materials, books)

Appendix 3: Sample Mentoring Plan


Mentee’s learning objectives (i.e. what would you like to focus on? How might these sessions help you?)

Mentor’s questions/prompts (i.e. what questions do you need to ask to clarify the mentee’s objectives?)

How will you know you are there? (i.e. describe specific, measurable achievable goals)

What other resources could you use? (i.e. internet options, networks, opportunities, training materials, books)



Appendix 4: Mentoring Session Agenda and Discussion Record

Mentoring session record number: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Mentee’s details

Mentor’s details

Date, time and location

Items for discussion

1

2

3

4

5

Issues raised

Action to be taken prior to next meeting

participant workbook (taedel404a)

Documents