Everything you need to know!
Requirements:
1.
Weekly Meeting with your Mentor on Discord
2.
Monthly “heart check” by email
Weekly Meeting with your Mentor
Your relationship with your Mentor is at the core of the program, which is why you’ll meet with them once a week online, through the platform Discord. You will want to communicate regularly to learn to know each other and feel more comfortable together.
Your Mentor will need to know and experience firsthand that you are present - within the limits of your personal boundaries - and committed to make the best out of the program throughout the year.
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Momentum is key. Having a recurring time to meet is going to support you both in building this new friendship. Whether or not you’ll have a lot to say to each other from one week to another, a weekly meeting is a practical way to touch base and ensure you’ll make time for each other.
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Meetings are held as video/voice calls that will take place through a dedicated Discord server that we’ll invite you to join after this training. You will also define directly with your Mentor the scheduling of those meetings (day and time).
If you feel more comfortable with text messaging at first, communicating about these practical aspects with your Mentor is going to be essential to make sure that both of your needs and availabilities are met over the year.
To connect with your Mentor, you will use a free messaging service called Discord.
We have prepared a private server to which you will be invited after being matched with someone.
On Discord, you will have access to:
1.
A private text channel with your Mentor
This channel is where you’ll connect for the first time together and have the possibility to interact through text messages.
2.
Meeting rooms for live conversations
We have prepared several meeting rooms that matches can use during their year of mentoring. You will be invited to use them to connect with your Mentor every week.
Monthly heart check
Once a month, your Mentor and you will be invited to complete a heart check, which consists of an online form to fill out individually. Completing heart checks is a requirement as it offers your support team a better insight on how to support you best. Plus, it only takes a couple of minutes to complete!
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Being mentored can be challenging, and we want to make sure that you are not alone on this journey. The information you will provide will be shared with your MEA who will systematically review it. This is also an opportunity for you to take the time to reflect on the previous month and on how things have been with your Mentor.
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It is an online form with three main questions that aim to see how things are going between you and your Mentor. You will communicate about (1) how often you met with them, (2) which aspects of the relation you feel satisfied with, (3) your thoughts on what is functioning and what isn’t so far. It will be a safe resource to utilize and to share anything you need about your experience in the program. There is no right or wrong answer, only what you need to say!
To have the best experience…
1.
Respond to your Mentor and MEA
They will reach out to you at regular times because they care and are committed to supporting you! If you never respond, it will only negatively impact your experience.
2.
Attend weekly meetings with your Mentor
Weekly meetings are essential. Without your presence, your Mentor can’t support you! Showing up regularly is an essential step to benefit from the program.
3.
Complete monthly Heart Checks
This is the only task that our Staff will ask you to do. Getting this feedback from you is absolutely necessary to have the best experience possible. It will never take more than five minutes for you to complete it!
FAQ
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That’s okay. We understand that sometimes life gets in the way and unexpected events happen. In this case, make sure to let your match know about it! You could eventually reschedule it to a different time or decide together to catch up at the next weekly meeting.
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It’s okay if that happened, and it’s okay to give yourselves grace in this situation. What’s essential is that you don’t lose connection together, even if sometimes that means adapting to unexpected life circumstances.
Complete your next heart check accordingly and provide any information that will help your MEA understand why you couldn’t meet. They will follow up with you and your Mentor to see if any of you need support on that matter, or if it’s a temporary issue that is already being resolved. -
We understand that this step can feel intimidating, especially when you are just starting to meet with your Mentor.
In this situation, it’s okay to give yourself grace and patience. We would recommend you to let your Mentor know about how this perspective makes you feel. Also to consider creating a plan with them so they can help you work on extending your comfort zone as time goes on. You can set specific goals from one week to another, with progressive steps to try out. It will offer a practical opportunity to grow together and to make sure your interactions feel safe at all times.
Overall, don’t hesitate to let your Mentor know how you feel about this each step of the way! They will listen and make sure you both aim towards the same direction. Your Mentor will be meeting you where they are, and invite you to walk together as you move forward. -
Yes! We will ask you to complete the 12 monthly heart checks of the program. Whether or not things are going well with your match, we want to know about it and hear about your experience! This is the best way for your MEA to support you, both through the good and the more challenging times.
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If you have any concern or need assistance, contact your MEA directly and let them know what’s going on. You can message them throughout the year and they will get back to you as soon as possible.
If it is an emergency that requires the intervention of our staff or professional services, reach out to our community manager and let them know what’s going on at [email protected]. -
Of course! If you both want to dedicate more time to meeting together, it is a positive sign of growth in your relationship and it’s absolutely okay to support this dynamic!
As a Mentee, we would however encourage you to make sure to respect the boundaries that your Mentor may have expressed regarding their availability outside of your weekly meetings.