For mentorship to be effective, a holistic approach that meets the intellectual, emotional and physical wellbeing of young people is key.
This was the opinion of Professor Jonathan Jansen, the Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State, who was the keynote speaker at a Youth Mentorship Symposium at STIAS in Stellenbosch last week. The symposium, hosted by Rachel’s Angels Trust, aimed to explore key learnings about mentoring across multiple experiences to inform mentorship theory and practice. The symposium was attended by various stakeholders from Rachel’s Angels’ participating schools, different universities and other partners of the Trust.
Jansen shared critical lessons about mentoring young people within the South African context. For Jansen, it is vital that we, as a nation, increase our ability to recognise the potential that all young people have.
Wifred Taylor, principal of Eben D?nges High School in Kraaifontein, agreed. “We do not easily see the potential of all our youth. Often we have judgemental attitudes based on our personal racial growth path. Some people need to be treated differently because of their unique challenges and barriers.”
The symposium included panel discussions on Building a Mentorship Programme Around Partnerships and Mentorship Models and Levels of Key Interventions.
The ten panellists in two sessions represented a range of educational institutions and shared best practices and knowledge in effective mentoring.
“Mentoring creates a caring environment and space for us to move forward as a nation,” said Dr Vincent Bosman, and education and ethics specialist from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Professor Charl Cilliers, retired Director of Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Student Counselling and Development shared his three-point metaplan for building a mentorship programme around partnerships. “There is a need to appoint a steering committee from all schools organise provincial feedback sessions and to also share best practices of mentoring partnerships,” he said.
“Just as with leadership, mentorship starts with self,” said Adri Marais, co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of TSiBA. “The first step is to understand what you want to do with mentorship and define those expectations.”
She said at TSiBA mentors are seen as travelling partners. “If you want to walk fast, walk alone; if you want to go far, walk together,” explained Marais.
The power of the mentor needs to be understood – it can make or break the mentee. Not everyone can become a mentor especially when dealing with vulnerable adolescents. This was the caveat of E`Louise Botes who recently completed her Master’s degree in Industrial Psychology at Stellenbosch University. Her thesis focused on the development of a youth mentor competency model and the skillset required by youth mentors within Rachel’s Angels’ mentorship programme.
Gloria Noemdoe, one of the educators at Steenberg High School who attended the presentation, said that the panel was “so inspiring and showed us that we all speak the same language when it comes to the well-being of our children and society”.
In her concluding remarks, Prof Rachel Jafta, Chairperson of the Rachel’s Angels Trust, encouraged all the stakeholders to keep moving forward and thinking of practical ways to reach out to more young people.
“Share the knowledge you have gained from this Symposium and also celebrate small victories along the way,” she urged.
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