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Why
did you become a mentor?
You
should ask the 'How' first - I was invited by my then DC, Sue Gow,
to go along to a Mentors Meeting, 'to see what it was all about'.
Debbie's eyes open up with delight when she sees someone she doesn't
know, and after a short discussion, at the end of the meeting, she
asked me to Mentor Charlie.
How
did you become a mentor?
See
above
When
did you start the mentoring scheme?
It
must be a couple of years ago now.
How
did you find out about it?
I
had heard that the mentoring concept had been adopted in Guiding,
via District Meetings etc, prior to going along to the meeting,
so to be fair, I was interested before I went along.
What
Section do you work with?
Brownies
in Stondon (East Beds)
What
do you find most rewarding?
Charlie
was a Guide Guider in Shillington, in the same District, and she
came to Guiding like a breath of fresh air. Charlie is an incredibly
organised person, going into every last detail (this is how she
works in every aspect of her life). I believe that I learnt as much
from Charlie as I hope she learnt from me!
What
do you find most challenging?
Stimulating
is more the word I would use, being able to visit and participate
in Guide meetings, and even go on one of their outings (to Luton
Fire Station), gave me a different perspective on how the girls
develop. Charlie's involvement and obvious enjoyment made it all
the more enjoyable for me! Viewing things through a completely new
pair of eyes can be quite interesting!
How
much time do you spend on the scheme?
We
arranged our meetings as and when Charlie had reached a stage where
she needed a bit of extra help and/or advise. It was probably an
hour or so, 3 or 4 times over the period of her participation in
the scheme. Not including the meeting visits (2) and the visit to
the Fire station.
Who
do you work with on the scheme?
One
of the early meetings with Charlie included her Unit Guider. I personally
feel that this is very useful as the Guider feels 'involved' in
the scheme and has an interest in ensuring that opportunities are
provided to cover different aspects of each module within the scheme.
Charlie's book was signed off by a variety of people involved in
her 'training' from fellow Guiders to Young Leaders and Guides in
her Unit.
Have
you attended any mentor training?
Yes,
a number of trainings are arranged around the County over the year,
and if enough people are interested, a local one can be arranged
also. They are very useful, as all attending are able to share ideas
and good points as well as highlighting areas that have proved to
be difficult.
How
have you found your mentoring experience useful outside Guiding?
A
lot of established 'Associations' now use mentoring in one shape
or another and to a certain extent, the new Buddy scheme in The
Brownie Adventure is a mini version don't you think?
Would
you take part in the scheme again?
Yes,
I already have.
Would
you recommend the scheme to other people?
Certainly.
I believe the idea is out there that it is likely to be very time
consuming, to commit yourself to mentoring. But this needn't be
the case at all. A bit of planning, and forethought (which we all
have as Guiders) can enable this scheme to work very well. It is
a really nice opportunity to spend a little time with another Guider,
who you may not have an opportunity to spend time with in any other
way.
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Why
did you become a mentee?
Becoming
a mentee came with the job. I'd decided I wanted to go into uniform
from being a unit helper, and that's the way Girlguiding UK's Leadership
Qualification Scheme works.
How
did you become a mentee?
I
was a unit helper, and my District Commissioner asked if I wanted
go into uniform. It was just the push I needed to accept what I
knew in my heart anyway - that I wanted to be a Guider. My District
Commissioner arranged it all from there on.
When
did you start the mentoring scheme?
About
Easter 2001. I completed it in February 2002.
How
did you find out about it?
Sue,
my DC, outlined the scheme when we had our first discussion about
my becoming a Guider. I got a sneak preview by reading the Hotlines
published on the website when it was introduced, and full details
when I got the booklet.
What
Section do you work with?
I
worked with Guides while I was doing the scheme. After that, I also
worked with Young Leaders.
What
do you find most rewarding?
Are
we talking the scheme specifically, or Guiding in general? I think
the most rewarding thing I did as part of the scheme was organise
the unit's trip to the Big Gig. It was the first time most of the
Guides had been to anything like that (or been on the Tube for that
matter), and they had a great time. Thank you, Shillington Guides,
for being such a fab group to take out. In Guiding in general, being
accepted as a friend, and all that comes with it.
What
do you find most challenging?
The
most challenging part of the scheme was choosing just a couple of
girls to monitor their progress, and remembering to do so.
How
much time do you spend on the scheme?
Not
much more than the time spent doing the usual stuff required to
help in running a unit. I tried to spend 5 or 10 minutes after each
meeting writing some notes, so I had a good record of what I'd done.
The meetings with my mentor, which amounted to no more than one
hour a month, and there was some extra time helping to organise
and run Brownie Revels, which I probably wouldn't have done if it
weren't for the scheme.
Who
do you work with on the scheme?
I
worked with Kate, my mentor, the Guiders of the unit I was with,
the Brownie Guiders in the district, the local Ranger Guiders, and
the Guides themselves. Plus all the people I roped in for various
activities.
Have
you attended any mentor training?
I don't
think this applies to me. Since I completed the scheme, there have
been 'New Guider' events, which I think I would have enjoyed.
How
have you found your mentoring experience useful outside Guiding?
As
a mentee, I found that if I needed help, there was always someone
able and very willing to give it. I only had to ask, and it really
didn't matter what position or title they held. I use the same approach
now - it's especially useful as I've recently moved to Canada, and
there's lots about my new life, home and job that I need to learn.
Would
you take part in the scheme again?
Definitely.
It's a great way to learn about being a Guider, and provides a good
foundation to build on as you get more experienced and confident.
Would
you recommend the scheme to other people?
Yes!
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