u c a l g a r y . c a / l e a d e r s h i p

L E A DE R SH I P & S T U DE N T E N G AG E M E N T OF F I C E

Emerging Leaders Program

Mentor/BuddyHandbook

2015 - 2016

To begin, we would like to thank you for being involved in our program. The mentorship relationship in the Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) is continuously identified by students as one of the most valuable components of the program. We would not be able to provide such an experience for students without the time and energy you give to this program. Thank You!

We are very excited to have you working alongside us as we support the growth and leadership development of our first-year students in the ELP this year. We have a fantastic group of students and we look forward to seeing them develop over the next eight months.

Within this manual you will find information about the program, resources and activities. These are resources, activities and tools to be used as desired or needed. Please feel free to tailor the activities in a way that is most authentic to your mentorship style and your mentorship relationship with your student(s).

We hope that you enjoy your experience in the program and we look forward to seeing you at the year end Leadership Gala on April 3, 2016.

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions at any time. Thank you again and have a fantastic year!

~ The Leadership & Student Engagement Office

Getan Malik | ELP Leadership Ambassadorlead@ucalgary.ca

Madeleine Hardy | Coordinator, Leadership & Training Programshardym@ucalgary.ca | 403.210.9638

Welcome Mentors & Buddies,

Mentorship is: voluntary; trust-based; mutually productive and beneficial; active in communication; growth- and discovery-oriented; and focused on clearly defining and achieving the mentee’s personal and/or professional goals. In short, mentors provide support and empowerment for mentees to achieve something important to them.

Keep in mind the following four principles of mentoring:

A mentor/A buddy is a role modelMentors/buddies lead by example. Students learn both directly and indirectly from their mentors by asking questions, listening, and oftentimes simply watching. Mentors/buddies know that even when they’re not speaking, they are sending a message and providing opportunities for learning.

Mentoring is freely given and freely receivedMentors/buddies volunteer their time and talents and in return enjoy intangible benefits. The most effective mentors have achieved many personal and professional successes and are willing to share their experiences with someone else. Students should express gratitude regularly and thank their mentors/buddies for their contribution of time and expertise.

Mentoring relationships are built on honesty and trust.Confidentiality is crucial to this relationship. When there is mutual respect they build a sense of trust in each other and commitment to their relationship. Both parties in this relationship should appreciate working with someone they can trust.

Mentoring requires constant communicationA successful mentoring relationship is characterized by frequent and consistent face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations, and/or the exchange of emails. Through dedicated and uninterrupted discussion, everyone forms a strong relationship and have an increased chance of achieving the goals they set together.

What Defines Mentorship?

What Defines Mentorship?

Be a sounding boardFirst and foremost a mentor or buddy is there to listen. Your role as a mentor/buddy is to provide support for your student and help them

navigate the challenges and successes of their first year at the University of Calgary.

Share your experiencesThis is the human element of the mentorship

relationship: the sharing between two people. Don’t be afraid to share your stories and

explore your learning from those stories together.

Provide challenges and add to their ideasAs students transition from high school into university, they will be exposed to new ideas. Understanding that student’s growth and development is an ongoing process.

Keep an open mind with them.

Provide a source of accountabilityWork with your student(s) to set goals and then

hold them accountable by checking in and asking them about their progress.

Provide advice (if asked) and gentle feedbackRemember! This year is full of growth and development moments for students. Find out where they want feedback or advice and work with them to give that gently and honestly.

It is important to realize that as mentors we are neither our mentee’s counselor nor academic advisor, and as such part of our role is to refer students to other resources as required.

Roles and Responsibilities of Mentors & Buddies

Below is an outline of the minimum four meetings with your student. Each mentorship relationship will have a different dynamic. So long as both student and mentor/buddy feel that their time is productive, deviations are permitted. In short, consider the following a general reference.

First MeetingThis meeting should occur before mid-October, ideally once the participant has settled into their classes. The first meeting is an opportunity for students to share their initial experiences in university life and the reasons they are pursuing their studies.

Expectations for future meetings can be set (e.g. how will subsequent meetings be coordinated? Can you arrange them in advance?). The student should leave this meeting with an action item for the semester, with the mentor/buddy holding them accountable.

Second MeetingThis meeting should occur in mid- to late-November. Mentees should have received their first set of assignment grades and/or midterm marks. This meeting can focus on how the first semester went for the student, what they enjoyed from their classes, and how they are preparing for final exams. Mentors/buddies should check-in to see how the students are coming along with their goals.

Third MeetingThis meeting should occur between mid- to late-January and focus on how the student feels about their first semester and what they would like to get out of their second semester. A new action item should be set for the semester, once again with the mentor/buddy holding them accountable.

Mentor/Buddy Meetings

Sample Questions

Fourth MeetingThe final scheduled meeting should occur in late March. Participants will have begun the composition of their final reflection. Mentors/buddies can facilitate reflection by focusing on the highlights of the mentee’s first year, lessons learned from both academic and co-curricular experiences, and goals for the participant’s second year.

Transition QuestionsHow are you finding the transition from high

school to university? What type of support do you need in

order to be successful? Do you feel aware/comfortable of where to find

support?

Academic QuestionsDo you know how to access Program Advising in your faculty?Does your faculty feel like the right fit for your skills, abilities and interests?

What do you want to do after university?

Involvement Questions

Have you found a community on campus that speaks to some of your

extracurricular activities? What are your interests? Academically? Co-Curricular?

Outside of university?

Health and Balance Questions

What do you think the appropriate balance is between your academic obligations and the rest of your life?Do you have a good support system (friends/family/professionals) to rely on if you’re overwhelmed?

SMART Goals are a tool to help students achieve all that they are striving for in their first year of university. They are used to set objectives and design outcomes. Setting SMART goals with your student(s) will increase their chances of success in completing or reaching their goals.

Specific: It is important when you are setting goals to make them as specific as possible, as a specific goal has a much higher chance of accomplishment than a general one. A specific goal is a goal that will answer the Five “W” questions. It will tell you WHAT is expected, WHY it is important, WHO is involved, WHERE is it going to happen and WHICH attributes are important.

Measurable: In order for a goal to be SMART, it is important that you have some sort of criteria or way of measuring your progress while pursuing your goal. This helps with motivation and staying on track. Attainable: When setting a goal, it should be something that you feel is achievable. The goal should be challenging, but also realis-tic. Relavent: When picking goals, make sure that they matter to you. You will be more likely to try and accomplish the goal if it is signif-icant for you. Often, relevant goals will be in support or alignment of other goals. Time-bound: Give your goals a time frame. This will motivate you and help you focus your efforts on completing the goal before the deadline.

Goal Setting with your Student(s)

Another way to check-in and see where your student(s) want to develop is using the ‘Wheel of Life’ exercise.

The eight sections (these are suggestions and can be changed) in the Wheel of Life represents different aspects of life. Seeing the center of the wheel as 1 and the outer edges as 10, rank your level of satisfaction with each life area by drawing a straight or curved line to create a new outer edge. The new perimeter represents the wheel of your life. If this were a real wheel, how bumpy would the ride be? Where do you want to smooth things out?

During 2014/2015 we conducted research consisting of qualitative focus groups and quantitative mid-point and end-surveys that critically explored what parts of the program where working and which ones were not. Based off of the many recommendations, research and knowledge collected this updated program was proposed.

Program Changes: 2015/2016

Final Meeting of the Year QuestionsWhat was your favorite aspect of the year? Why?What is one thing that your faculty, department, or the university could do to improve the first-year experience overall? If you could change anything about the club or organization you are involved with, what would it be?What have you learned through your leadership involvement, and about your personal leadership style?

Seven Types of Mentor Assistance

1. Helping students think more positively and pro-actively

2. Listening when students have a question, problem or topic to discuss

3. Identifying students’ feelings and verifying them (providing feedback)

4. Encouraging positive behaviors, and effectively confronting negative behaviors

5. Providing appropriate information and support

6. Encouraging and inspiring students7. Sharing your relevant experience,

knowledge and skills

Program Changes: 2015/2016

This is the first year it will run like this and we hope to monitor it and make adjustments accordingly. Please be open with your constructive feedback!

2 streams of ELP: First Year Experience & Personal Leadership Students now have a choice of which stream they would best

fit in. The core points collected in either stream is the same but it differs in other tiers on point numbers.

Students are able to switch midway if they feel another stream is better aligned.

Program PointsMoving forward we have changed

the language from ‘requirements’ to ‘points’. There is now more flexibility about how students can earn points and although they have a minimum of points to earn there is no maximum.

Re-vamped application formsBased on our research we have re-vamped both the participant

application form and the mentor/buddy application form. This will

help us make better matches or help the mentors/buddies who choose their

students have a better idea of who the student is and therefore an increased likelihood

of a better match.

Choosing your Mentees/BuddiesThis was piloted last year and was wonderfully successful. We

have continued to invite mentors and buddies to choose their students. This resulted in more successful matches.

Addition of BuddiesAll buddies are senior level undergraduate students, while all mentors are staff or faculty. Students are asked whither they would like to be paired with a mentor or a buddy in their application form.

Points are collected throughout the year. It is up to the student to keep track of what they attended and then submit them to their Peer Helper. Think of it as a ‘choose your own adventure’ encouraging students to choose what is interesting to them.

CORE POINTS(Both streams must complete all)• Attend the ELP Meet and Greet - Sept. 10• Attend the ELP Fall and Winter Retreats - Sept.

12 or 13 and Jan. 17• Attend the Leadership Exchange - Feb. 6• Meet with your mentor/buddy four

times• Attend the Leadership Gala - April 3• During the year produce goals/a

personal development action plan with your mentor/buddy

• Submit a self-assessment/reflection at the end of the year to be submitted to your peer helpers and completion dates of all point requirements. Can take a creative form if accompanied by a 1-page explanation/assessment - submissions due April 1 - 10

DEVELOPMENT TIER (Leadership stream: 4 points to complete; FYE stream: 2 points to complete)

• Workshops offered via Student Centre, Leadership On Demand, Career Services, Q-Centre, Women’s Resource Centre etc. (1 point per, maximum two points from workshops)

• Attendance to Conferences other than LX (1 point per, maximum two points from conferences)

• Service-Learning Project through the CCEL or equivalent body (2

Program Points

Program Points points for participation in one program)• Ongoing involvement in some type of extra-curricular program at

the U of C or in the Calgary community (1 point per involvement, maximum of two points for Involvement; examples include being an active member or executive in a club, being an active member of an intramural or varsity team, ongoing participation in volunteer organizations, SU Volunteer Services, Student Committees, or individual initiatives etc.)

SOCIAL TIER (Leadership Stream: 2 points to complete; FYE stream:

3 points to complete)

• Group socials organized by Peer Helpers (1 point per)

• ELP-wide designated social events (1 point per, up to LA what to

organize/designate) • Attendance to Views from the Loft events (1 point per event)

COMMUNITY TIER (Leadership Stream: 2 points to complete; FYE stream: 3 points to complete)

• Attendance to a DINOS game (1 point per game, maximum of 2 points

from DINOS games)• Attendance to U o f C theatre

productions, music performances, art exhibitions, or other cultural events (1

point per, maximum of two points from these events)

• Participation in U of C, SU, or City of Calgary community events (e.g. UCalgary Strong, Calgary Film

Festival etc. 1 point per participation, maximum of two points from these types of community events)

ELP FAQsStudent Questions to you:

1. I missed __(fill in activity here)__ how do I make-it-up? Although rare, some students miss core point activities. Get them to connect with their Peer Helpers (PH), if their PH don’t know refer them to their Leadership Ambassador - Getan. Getan will work with the student to identify make-up activities.

2. Where is __(fill in colour group here)’s__ social? There are some ELP-wide socials or events that happen throughout the year, and there are smaller socials organized by PH just for their colour groups. For these questions get students to re-check their emails from their PH or their colour group Facebook groups. They can always visit the LSE office (MSC 293) and we can call the PH.

3. Does ___(fill in blank)__ count as a point? As a mentor or buddy it isn’t your responsibility to answer these questions - refer the student to their PH to ask about this. If their PH doesn’t know they should ask the Leadership Ambassador - Getan.

4. Where do I find information about __(fill in blank)__ for the ELP program? All ELP students are added to the ELP D2L course and an ELP Facebook page. Communication is shared through these methods as well as monthly newsletters (sent at the beginning of each month with some exceptional emails of important dates/events. Remind students of these and encourage them to check back to these resources often if they are unsure.

5. I want to switch my stream for ELP, how do I do that? Tell them this is possible and to contact their Peer Helper.

If you have any questions,

concerns or don’t know how to find an answer or just want to talk to

someone about the program please don’t hesitate to connect with us!

Getan is the Leadership Ambassador which is a professional student staff role that works 15 hours

per week for this program.

Madeleine is the coordinator of all leadership programs with ELP being one of them.

lead@ucalgary.ca

If you have any questions,

concerns or don’t know how to find an answer or just want to talk to

someone about the program please don’t hesitate to connect with us!

Getan is the Leadership Ambassador which is a professional student staff role that works 15 hours

per week for this program.

Madeleine is the coordinator of all leadership programs with ELP being one of them.

lead@ucalgary.ca

FAQs from Mentors/buddies:

1. What do I do if my student(s) has opted out of the program? This happens! First of all - don’t worry, sometimes students choose to opt-out of the program and that’s okay. It happens for many reasons – some students register for too many things during orientation week and feel overwhelmed, other students choose other programming to be a part of and other students might decide the program isn’t a fit.

If your student drops out you are welcome to continue

your mentorship/buddiship with them if you are both interested in doing so. If your student has opted out

of the program and you have already chose them we will do our best to let you know and assign

you another student. If there is no more students to be assigned to you – we would like to thank you for your time and ask that you consider being a mentor/buddy next year!

2. Can I meet with my student(s) more than 4 times? Yes! Each mentorship/buddyship

will be unique. Find what works best for you and your student(s).

3. I haven’t heard from my student, what do I do? Please follow-up with your student again, choose a clear

subject line - your student may have missed the email in all their other messages. If you student still does not get into contact with you please connect with Madeleine at hardym@ucalgary.ca

Leadership & Student Engagement OfficeMSC 293

ucalgar y.ca/leadership

lead@ucalgar y.ca