5 Things You Didn't Know About eMentor
This story was written by Teach Learn Grow Public Relations Officer, Anne-Marie White.
We’re busting some eMentor myths for you, just in time for the volunteer applications deadline!
We asked some seasoned volunteer TLG eMentors to uncover some preconceptions about the program.
Left to right: Kamran Ahmed, Thomas Judd, Jana Ilievski, Jess Knight
The TLG eMentor program runs over 8 weeks each semester and provides free weekly one-on-one mentoring to upper-primary school students experiencing educational disadvantage. Mentoring topics are selected by the students’ teacher, and volunteer mentors work with students through a virtual classroom, using an online whiteboard, headsets, and webcams to communicate.
We spoke to four members of the TLG eMentor Team: Systems and Training Officer, Kamran Ahmed; Coordinator Support Officer, Thomas Judd; Mentor Experience and Training Officer, Jana Illievski; and eMentor Manager, Jess Knight. They spoke to us about aspects of the eMentor program which surprised them when they first became involved and why you too should get involved with the program. So without further adieu, here are 5 Things You Didn’t Know About eMentor.
eMentor fits in very well with a typical uni schedule and commitments.
All three experienced mentors spoke about how easy it was to fit in eMentor volunteering with their university schedules. “It wasn’t a big time commitment at all,” said Thomas, “I was only required to do one session per week and there were multiple sessions available across the week. That helped me select a time that worked well for me.” Kamran also spoke about how the program’s flexibility allowed him to fit his volunteering in with his university commitments, “I could do eMentor in the morning and then go to class shortly after.”
2. Mentoring sessions are simple to prepare
Not only is the eMentor program very flexible and easy to fit in between uni classes, the mentoring sessions themselves do not require a huge amount of preparation. “I did the Rural Program before the eMentor program and I thought there would be a lot of time required to cater lessons for mentees,” said Thomas, However, “as the focus is just on the one student, this wasn’t the case at all.” Thomas found that he could easily schedule his reading and activity preparations in between other commitments, using the great resources provided to him. Kamran also said that he thought the time required to prepare for mentoring sessions would impact his university studies. As it turned out, he said, the necessary preparation only ended up taking 30-60 minutes of his week throughout the 8 week program.
3. No previous experience is required!
You absolutely don’t need to have any mentoring experience, or to be studying a related discipline to be an eMentor. This was the exact situation Thomas was in when he first started volunteering as a mentor. “Coming into the program, I had very little tutoring and mentoring experience, so starting the eMentor program was very daunting,” Thomas told us, “however, with the training TLG provided and information about activities to do with mentees, I felt more confident during sessions and was soon quickly able to engage with my mentee and cater activities to their likes and interests.” He further added that the eMentor program is open to everyone, regardless of their tertiary studies or educational background.
4. Being an eMentor is lots of fun!
Jana said that one of the key things that surprised her about the eMentor program when she first began volunteering was “just how much fun it was!” Kamran talked about how he initially thought that the digital aspect of the program would impact his ability to bond with his mentee but, during the program, he discovered that this was not the case. “I didn't think I would have so much fun with my mentee and the other mentors,” he said, “I thought that the screen would be the barrier.” Seeing their mentee become more confident and expand their aspirations is a central part of the TLG eMentor program. The positive relationship volunteers have with their mentee encourages them to become more resilient, and improve their attitudes towards school and learning.
5. The eMentor program makes a significant impact.
Both Thomas and Jana spoke about how they were surprised by the level of impact they were able to have on students by participating in the program. “I only began to realise how much impact you can really have after being involved with the program for more than one semester,” Jana said, “but if you return to mentor for the same school you can really see how much your mentee improves, not only in the topics covered during the program, but also in their general confidence.”
Thomas told us about being surprised by the level of impact he was able to have on his mentees in a very short period of time. “Despite the limited time I was able to spend with my mentee throughout the semester,” he said, “it was wonderful to see my mentee take on board what we covered during our sessions and apply it during the week, whether it be their school work, sporting commitments or social life.”
So there you have it, 5 things you may not have known about the eMentor program. The deadline to apply to be an eMentor Coordinator closes midnight on Sunday 23 February. Applications for Mentor positions close midnight on Sunday 1 March.
When asked why volunteers should get involved with eMentor, Jess Knight, the eMentor manager, had this to say: “We have so many new schools asking for our program. The more volunteers we have, the more we can bring the benefits of eMentor to rural and remote students.” Former eMentor and current TLG Chief Funding Manager, Cate Leedman, further added: “You won’t regret applying, and volunteering, for the program. It was an incredible experience being able to have such a positive influence on a student, and knowing that they feel more confident, resilient, and able to take charge of their own education and life aspirations, because of a small commitment you make to them every week.”
So what are you waiting for? Go out and get applying!
To apply for Coordinator and Mentoring roles, please go to the following link: https://www.teachlearngrow.org.au/apply