This week I have discovered... No matter how much you try to help some people, you may be better off leaving them to their own fate!
If a person can't be bothered to help themselves and just lies to you in return for all the assistance that you have given them (when they have asked for it), it can be a bit soul destroying!
On a more positive note, I'm looking forward to giving a brief presentation to some students next week regarding the benefits of volunteer work.
Thursday 31 January 2013
Wednesday 23 January 2013
Snow Day Musings of a Student Mentor
Sitting here, staring out of my kitchen window, blackbirds scrabbling in the snow searching for worms, seeds, bread, whatever they can find in my garden, I realise I haven't blogged in an age! I think its because for a while I felt quite distant from it all... all the mentoring stuff I mean.
I would see emails or the occasional post on Facebook about events, social gatherings etc and for one reason or another I may not have been able to make it... I was in a lecture, I don't live on campus or even in Newport... or maybe I just wanted to be with my family instead of being out and getting pissed! Excuses or reasons... you decide!
Anyway, this started to make me feel like I wasn't actually doing anything proactive regards my role as a Student Mentor, I even had a breakdown moment where I completely hijacked a meeting about a potential new project and completely out-poured some pretty deep secrets and insecurities (Kerry, I'm forever in your debt)!
My point is, I was wrong (again). I am proactive as a mentor, I only have to look at my phone or my inbox to see evidence of this. People trust me, they talk to me, they value what I have to say. I'm often pulled to one side for a quiet chat or sent a text or an email minutes after I've just been sat in the same room as that person. I listen, I reassure, I point in the right direction. I never judge, influence or give instructions (at least, I'm not aware that I do) and I never break a confidence.
This is what I wanted from the mentoring scheme, I wanted to be of use to people, I never wanted to be an in-your-face kind of mentor (despite the current red hair). I don't want to be a nag or there every time you turn a corner, I reach out to people, yes, and I follow up with issues I've been made aware of. I just wanted to there when I was needed and I think I may have achieved that balance.
Happy snow day everyone :)
My point is, I was wrong (again). I am proactive as a mentor, I only have to look at my phone or my inbox to see evidence of this. People trust me, they talk to me, they value what I have to say. I'm often pulled to one side for a quiet chat or sent a text or an email minutes after I've just been sat in the same room as that person. I listen, I reassure, I point in the right direction. I never judge, influence or give instructions (at least, I'm not aware that I do) and I never break a confidence.
This is what I wanted from the mentoring scheme, I wanted to be of use to people, I never wanted to be an in-your-face kind of mentor (despite the current red hair). I don't want to be a nag or there every time you turn a corner, I reach out to people, yes, and I follow up with issues I've been made aware of. I just wanted to there when I was needed and I think I may have achieved that balance.
Happy snow day everyone :)
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