Potential mentors are recruited from various sources including corporate, academic, professional, and religious communities, as well as neighbourhood citizens. Career mentoring helps mentored youth develop the necessary skills to enter or continue on a career path. Personal development mentoring supports mentored youth during times of personal or social stress and provides guidance for decision making. Copy made in accordance with provisions for educational copying in the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968, as amended. In general, an effective mentoring relationship is characterized by mutual respect, trust, understanding, and empathy.
Good mentors are able to share life experiences and wisdom.
They are good listeners, good observers, and good problem-solvers. They make an effort to know, accept, and respect the goals and interests of a student. In the end, they establish an environment in which the student's accomplishment is limited only by the extent of his or her talent. The nature of a mentoring relationship varies with the level and activities of both student and mentor. You as mentor can also benefit enormously.