VKSSF Alumni Association
Mangaluru
presents
SUSHIKSHA, Mentorship Programme.
Introduction
Sushiksha is an initiative by VKSSF Alumni Association to create a platform for VKSSF Scholars to realize their potential by enabling personal and professional relationships with VAA members who have succeeded in the path of their chosen career. They will act as role models and provide guidance to the Students (Mentees).
How will it work?
VAA will invite members who have succeeded in their career to enroll as a Mentor for Sushiksha. It will also invite applications from students who are in need of mentoring. Then based on the need of the student a mentor will be assigned to each one of them. We will also assign a supervisor for group of mentors having similar interest. Supervisors will community personalities who have experience in mentoring and excelled in their career.
Mentors are expected to provide their mentee with about one hour of support and interaction bi-weekly. Most of this interaction will take place via e-mail and/or other web-related tools (for example, instant messaging) or face-to-face, as appropriate. Mentors should work with their mentee to determine what kind of support will be most useful-specific feedback related to general career advice, information on higher studies, technical information, personal encouragement, and so on.
What mentor will do?
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COMMIT AT LEAST ONE INTERACTION/HOUR OF SUPPORT bi-weekly.
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Take responsibility to initiate the relationship. The Mentees are often hesitant to initiate the relationship.
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Set aside time for the mentoring process and honor all appointments.
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Invite the mentee to meetings or activities (online, phone and face-to-face) as appropriate. Schedule meetings with planned topics.
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Be flexible on meeting times and places.
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Arrange frequent contacts through telephone, e-mail and optionally face-to-face as appropriate.
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Respond to e-mails from your mentee within 2 days of receipt.
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If the mentor is unsure of how to handle a particular situation, then he/she is expected to approach supervisors for help.
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Keep confidential the information that your mentee has shared with you. If something concerning the mentee needs to be discussed with others, it should first be discussed within the mentoring relationship.
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Establish open and honest communication and a forum for idea exchange.
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Foster creativity and independence. Help build self-confidence and offer encouragement.
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Provide honest and timely feedback to your mentee.
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Provide opportunities for the mentee to talk about concerns and ask questions.
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Above all, LISTEN.
What mentor will not do?
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Don’t Try to give advice on everything.
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Don’t Encourage mentee to be totally dependent upon you (Mentor).
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Don’t Provide personal history, problems, animosities, successes, failures, etc unless they are constructive contributions.
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Don’t Be too busy when the mentee needs guidance or support. If you do not have time, inform the mentee, so that they know when they can reach you.
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Don’t Criticize.
How long the Mentorship commitment will be?
Mentors should make commitments of at least six months to one year in order to ensure that the mentee is able to fully benefit from the relationship. If a mentor must leave the relationship early, at least one month’s notice is necessary in order to search for a replacement mentor with similar background.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a discussion about:
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Plans to reach full potential of the student.
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Drawing out / Working on goals.
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Change in thinking about self.
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Issues, concern or stress
Who needs it?
Students who ..
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feel at cross roads.
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need help to make decisions.
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want to overcome stress.
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need support.
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needs help to overcome relationship problems
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wants to excel.
We have now opened applications for those who wish to be mentors. To enroll,
