what is really a Mentor

1. “You can only love me as much as you
love yourself. I need a friend, and I need
support. But in the long run, I’m not really
looking for you. I’m looking for me.”
Don Shaw, youth worker

2. HISTORY OF MENTORING
The term “mentor” is taken from Homer’s Odyssey, in which
Ulysses asks his friend Mentor to counsel and guide his son during
his absence in the Trojan War.
Throughout history, the relationship has been naturally duplicated
and refined in hundreds of ways - in apprentice and
master, student and teacher, and friend and counselor

3. HOW DOES IT WORK?
• Improving cognitive skills.
• Serving as a role model.
• Mentors can provide new perspectives, possibilities, and options.
Think of the mentor as a “learning leader” who facilitates a learning
process,rather than as a guru who passes down “the word” to the mentee.

4. THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A MENTOR ARE ?
1. Provides guidance based on past experience
2. Creates a positive counseling relationship and climate of
open communication.
3. Helps the mentee identify problems and solutions.
4. Leads the mentee through problem solving processes.
5. Offers constructive feedback in a supportive way shares
stories, including mistakes .
6. Comes prepared to each meeting to discuss issues.

5. ADULT LEARNING
In terms of adult learning, keep in mind the following.
Adults are:
Relevancy oriented—they need to know why they are learning something.
Autonomous and self-directed
Goal oriented
Practical and problem-solvers, and have accumulated life experiences that
shape their learning.

6. BUILDING SELF-AWARENESS
Personal weaknesses/
Low aptitudes
What do you lack the
confidence to
better at?
Personal strengths/
High aptitudes
Drives Fears
What prevents you from
succeeding?/What causes
you to fail?
What would you like to
be better at?
What makes you
succeed?