Example: Mentorship

Mentorship

Through mentoring sessions, DHL leaders become mentors of young people and accompany their transition from school to work. They provide them with professional experiences, but also foster their personal development, trust and esteem. Here, DHL middle and senior managers focus on various matters relevant to employability (career and/or entrepreneurship orientation and support to reflect on dreams, interests, capacities and needs).

Duration: Long-term interaction over several months up to years (preferable: one regular mentoring session per month)

Number of young people involved: on demand

Number of volunteers involved: on demand

Place: SOS CV, virtual,…

How to set up a GoTeach Mentorship

SOS and DHL coordinate the numbers of volunteers and youth available and willing to give/receive mentoring
The approximate contents of the sessions as well as the suggested duration are defined between DHL and SOS according to the needs of the young people
Training session for DHLers?
SOS and DHL arrange first event where all volunteers and youth meet. First face-toface meetings are agreed upon
Content guide??

“I remember three days before the DHL interview I did not want to go because I didn’t know what they were going to ask in the interview. I called my mentor and she was super cool, she calmed me down, told me some possible questions and wow I was ready! She gave me my confidence back.”

Anonymous Youth participating in Mentorship activity

DID YOU KNOW?

Mentoring requires leadership skills and a lot of empathy for the volunteer. Make sure all participants will show enough commitment before you decide on who has to mentor whom.

Useful hints

• Mentoring relationships requires time, patience, commitment and a genuine interest in helping young people to develop

• Calls, Skype, Whatsapp, etc. can supplement the face-to-face mentoring

• Preferably: Face-to-face mentoring supported by online platform YouthLinks (see below)

Chapter lead	Susanne Novotny