Connecting4Success2012 Advice Guru Training

Danielle HandsorProgram CoordinatorUniversity of Windsor

• Program Overview

• YOUR Responsibilities

• The Power of Communication

• Behaviors to Avoid

• FAQ’s

Presentation Overview

• Connecting4Sucess is a mentorship program that runs out of the Educational Development Centre

• Third year of the program

• Last year’s program numbers:• Advice Guru’s: 187• Mentees: 172

• Upper year students are paired with incoming, First Generation students based on their program/faculty of study

Program Overview

• Time commitment: • Approximately 5 hours/month• The program runs for the entire

academic year (August-March)

• Advice Guru Recognition:• Position can be added to the Co-

curricular Transcript• Program certificate• Program t-shirt• End of the year gift• Monies deposited on your

UwinCARD to treat both you and your mentee to beverages and snacks during your meetings

• End of the Year Celebration

Program Overview

Program Overview

• C4S Website: www.uwindsor.ca/c4s • The C4S website features:

• Monthly Reporting Templates• Monthly Reporting Feedback

documents• Monthly Newsletters• Upcoming events• Pictures

• Join our Facebook Group! “Connecting4Success 2012-2013”

1. Maintain regular contact with your Mentee

2. Submit monthly reports on time3. Maintain confidentiality

regarding your mentee4. Offer insight about the 1st year

student experience (personal, social, academic)

5. Participate in monthly meetings and social events

Advice Guru Responsibilities

• Determine a preferred method of communication:• BBM • Facebook • Cell Phone/Texting • U of W Webmail

• Frequency of Face to Face Meetings:• September (3X’s)• October (2X’s)• December- You are not required to meet face to face with your

mentee, just check-in (i.e. how did final exams go? Wish them a happy holiday)

• November, January, February, March (1X a month)

• Refer to “Topics for Discussion” (pg. 10) document

• All meetings must take place on campus

• Monies will be deposited on your UwinCARD to treat both you and your mentee to beverages and snacks during your meetings

1. Maintain Regular Contact with your Mentee

• Monthly Reporting Template• Refer to “Monthly Reporting Template” (pg.

21)

• Encourage your mentee to set both short-term and long-term goals

• Refer to “Goal Setting document” (pg. 23)

• Monthly reports are due on the last day of the month by 12 pm. If an Advice Guru submits 2 late reports, they will be removed from the program.

• Completed reports can be e-mailed to danielle@uwindsor.ca. Please don’t submit reports in PDF.

2. Submit Monthly Reports

• As an Advice Guru you will encounter confidential information, such as your mentees’ academic standing, personal difficulties, and/or contact information

• You are required to keep this information CONFIDENTIAL. You may only discuss these details with the Program Coordinator.

• By signing the Advice Guru Code of Conduct you agreed to maintaining confidentiality when it comes to your mentee. Breeching confidentiality will result in your dismissal from the program.

3. Confidentiality

• Reflect on your first-year of university…

• Familiarize yourself with the common first-year challenges

• Refer to “Common Issues Faced by First-Year Students” (pg. 13) document

• Making Referrals:• You can not solve the students problems for

them. But… you can refer them to the appropriate services on campus to get their problems/questions answered

• You are coaching your mentee, not advising, tutoring and/or fixing

• Refer to “UWindsor Services” (pg. 8) document

4. The First-Year Experience

• At your tables brainstorm a list of the student support services that are currently being offered through your department (i.e. Math Resource Centre).

ACTIVITYBrainstorm Session: What’s Going on?

• Every month (except for December) the C4S program holds a monthly meeting on an academic topic or a social event

• You are encouraged to attend with your mentee!

• Refer to the document “Calendar of Events” (pg. 25)

5. Participate in Monthly Meetings and Events

• Lending money or purchasing gifts for your Mentee

• Proof reading or editing your Mentee’s assignments

• Making judgments about your Mentee’s life, experiences or beliefs

• Blaming your Mentee• If a student misses a meeting, don’t get angry

with them. You may want to express your concern for them and restate the goal of the meetings. Work together to schedule another meeting and remember to follow-up with the student.

• Making negative comments

Behaviors to Avoid

• Remember that you are a role model and an ambassador of the university. You should always be professional in your actions and speech.

• Share you experiences in a positive manner.

• If you found a course highly challenging, talk about the ways you adjusted your study methods to succeed.

Negative Comments

• Empathy- Put yourself in your Mentee’s shoes

• Active Listening

• Strategies for active listening:• Open-ended questions

• Closed-ended question: Did you have a good day at school?• Open-ended question: What did your professor discuss

in class today? • Reflecting

• Walk in your Mentee’s shoes

Power of Communication

• Paraphrasing• Repeat what your Mentee’s

says in your OWN words

• “I” Statements• Tim YOU didn’t show up for

our meeting yesterday• Tim I was disappointed that

you didn’t show up for our meeting yesterday. • I feel…. when you… because…

Power of Communication

Power of Communication

• Coach your Mentee on solving problems and making decisions

• Problem Solving1. Clarify what the problem is2. Have your Mentee identify

and reflect on their feelings about the problem

3. Brainstorm possible solutions4. Evaluate each possible

solution5. Choose a solution6. Make a plan7. Follow up and evaluate

• My mentee …• is doing poorly academically• Is entering the winter term on academic

probation• Is difficult to get a hold of • fails to show up at our scheduled meetings• Doesn’t need an Advice Guru as they are doing

fine academically• Has a personal problem • Behavior makes me feel uncomfortable• Asked me a question and I don’t know the

answer• Bounced back Mentee e-mails

FAQ’s

ANY QUESTIONS?