Naturally many mentors are a bit nervous meeting their mentee but this quickly disappears in your first meeting.

TIPS FOR FIRST MEETING:

• Introduce yourself (usually in elementary schools mentors are addressed by surname – Mr. Mrs. Dr. Smith). Sometimes students have difficulty remembering names so might consider shortening to Mr. G or Mrs. S. Ask the child how they would like to be addressed.

• Naturally your child will want to know a little about you, but you should decide before the first meeting what you’re comfortable sharing. Usual info includes…town where you live, your job, a bit about your family; husband, wife, children and grandchildren. If you have pets you might bring pictures since most children love animals. It is probably best to share nothing very personal at this stage.

• Ask the child to tell you a little about himself. Things such as his/her family, likes and dislikes, etc. Do not probe if he/she seems uncomfortable; in time you’ll get more information.

• Some mentors ask the child to give them a tour of the building. Many children love taking mentors around since this is their universe. Again if the child is not comfortable, do not insist.

• Describe a bit about the mentoring relationship. Explain that there is no academic agenda, it will be your time to do whatever you decide together. In reality, at first these sessions are driven by what the child enjoys doing. As your relationship grows you can introduce them to other activities or ideas.

TECHNICAL DETAILS

For safety reasons, it is always important for mentors to wear their ID badges in the school buildings. Some mentors like to leave their badges in the mentoring mailbox or another designated place in the front office so they will be handy every week. Each school has developed their own procedure list which includes instructions on how to navigate your visits. There you can find further details on scheduling appointments, finding a meeting space, etc. These are available on our website on the individual schools tab. ​Each school has supply of games, materials, and resources for mentors and mentees. In elementary schools, this is often available in social workers' offices. Just ask your school contact where you can find the mentoring supplies. Individual school websites are also good sources of information about programs and events. Just click on the schools link from our district website.