Mentoring

Beacon Mentoring is a 'high-touch' programme designed to guide and assist Beacon Scholars as they travel up the vertical pathway through secondary and tertiary levels of education and move into the workplace.

The programme targets those points in a Beacon Scholar's education where performance targets are set and reviewed; where important choices have to be made; and when Scholars have to be prepared for the next step in their development.

Types of Mentor provided to Beacon Scholars:

  1. School Mentors - for Beacon Schools Scholars
  2. Target Sheet Mentors - for all Beacon Scholars
  3. Away Country Mentors - for Beacon University Scholars
  4. Home Country Mentors - for Beacon University Scholars
  5. Beacon Buddies - for all new Beacon Scholars
  6. Peer Mentors - for Beacon University Scholars

1. School Mentors

School MentorsKey to The Beacon Scholarship for Schools, School Mentors are staff members of the Beacon School where a Beacon Scholar is enrolled, and are generally appointed by the Head of the School.

School Mentor responsibilities include:

  • Meet with Beacon Scholars first to set targets, then at mid-term and finally at the end of term to assess performance against target;
  • Send completed Target Sheets to The Beacon Equity Trust on time; Target Sheets serve as donor reports for the charity and are an important aspect of monitoring the investment in Beacon Scholars and their education;
  • They should be sufficiently trained to be able to offer tailored advice to Beacon Scholars on how to improve performance against targets;
  • Act in a pastoral or consultative capacity to Beacon Scholars for any issues or problems they are encountering in any aspect of school life;
  • They need to understand how to enhance leadership traits in children within a school environment;
  • Help place Beacon Scholars in leadership roles so they can test their leadership capabilities. 

 

2. Target Sheet Mentors

A team of Beacon Mentors work with Scholars and School Mentors to help develop and fine-tune appropriate goals for Beacon Target Sheets. This team also produces an Annual Evaluation which is individualised for each Scholar. The Annual Evaluation reviews achievements in the past year as well as suggesting a focus for next year in each of the 4 Beacon Leadership Criteria: academic; co-curricular; social influence; and citizenship.

 

 

3. Away Country Mentors

School MentorsAway Country Mentors are based in a University Scholar's education destination country, and play an important role in keeping Scholars connected to their home country. They live close to  universities Beacon Scholars are attending.

Away Country Mentor responsibilities include:

  • Meeting at least once a term;
  • Bonding with their paired Scholar socially, and widening their horizons;
  • Acting in a pastoral or consultative capacity for any issues or problems Scholars are encountering in university life;
  • Offering career guidance and advice on how to improve performance;
  • Connecting them to personal and professional networks;
  • Understanding how to enhance their leadership skills and traits;
  • Helping them find internships and jobs;
  • Liaising with the Scholar's Home Country Mentor;
  • Helping to shepherd these young people into ‘changemaker’ roles as they mature, to increase the probability that they will indeed one day return to their home country and ‘give back’.

See Bios of of current Beacon Away Country Mentors.

 

4. Home Country Mentors

School MentorsBeacon Home Country Mentors are individuals who have been educated overseas at a world-class university, and have subsequently returned to their home country. They occupy a high-level position in a profession, industry, entrepreneurial venture, or public service and want to 'give back' by mentoring a Beacon University Scholar.

Each current Beacon Scholar at University is 'match-paired' with a Beacon Home Country Mentor to guide their leadership development and keep them connected to their home country. 

Home Country Mentor responsibilities include:

  • Make at least 6 contacts with their Beacon Scholar per year, and report on the contact;
  • Assist in resolving any cultural acceptance or orientation issues the Scholar encounters overseas;
  • Maintain contact with the Scholar's family in their home country;
  • Help find holiday internships/work experience/placements, and provide career counselling.

See Bios of of current Beacon Home Country Mentors.

 

5. Beacon Buddies

This is an informal relationship facilitated by Beacon between a new Scholar and an older Beacon Scholar at the same school or university. The senior 'Buddy' helps the newcomer with their induction into the school or university, as well as 'showing them the ropes' for Beacon requirements, for example helping them understand the Target-setting process; encouraging the adoption of Beacon values; getting them involved in extra-curricular activities; and building confidence.

 

6. Peer Mentors (P2P)

The P2P process is designed to create a broad framework for discussion on how to build self-efficacy. Beacon University Scholars are each paired with another University Scholar, likely from a different University, to exchange and give feedback on Target Sheets.The process begins with Scholars giving suggestions on Strengths and Improvement Areas that they see in each other's Target Sheet and goes on to exchanging tips on career advancement, internships and life at university.