| All graduate students in the Faculty of Education are invited to participate in a new mentorship program.
This includes Masters and PhD students in Curriculum and Instruction, Indigenous Education, Exercise Science, Physical & Health Education, and Educational Psychology and Leadership Studies. |
How to join?
Participants are matched in a mentor/mentee partnership or triad (as per their choice) or can prearrange a mentor/mentee relationship with another graduate student; the focus here is on matching a graduate student with more experience (mentor) with a graduate student with less experience (mentee). Partnerships (or triads) will meet regularly to support each other in working towards personal/professional goals and where mentors provide guidance, knowledge, and advice to mentees regarding academic related issues.
What is the time commitment?
One-term commitment: E.g., September to December 2022
| Time Commitment | Optional/Additional Resources |
| · Attend program orientation training September 26th (3:15-4:15pm in person or 12-1pm online)
· Meet twice a month with mentor/mentee · Attend mentorship community workshops (one per month in Oct, Nov and Dec); dates will be set based on all participants best availability Roughly 3 hours/month |
· Attend month drop-in sessions for mentors and mentees
· Utilize resources on the mentorship program website and social media feeds · Receive support from the program coordinator
|
Option to continue for another term in Winter 2023
Program Supports
The program is designed based on feedback from our current graduate students and research regarding best practice. Resources and structures that support mentors and mentees to be successful in this process include monthly (Oct, Nov and Dec) mentorship community workshops, online resources, and direct support facilitated by the project coordinator Jess Willows. The heart of the Graduate Student Mentorship Program is the relationship between mentors and mentees. The supports have been developed with the values of this program as the focus:
- Genuine commitment to the professional and personal growth of all participants
- Recognition and development of the reciprocal nature of the relationship between mentor and mentee
- Create sense of belonging through the development of supportive, safe and inclusive spaces
The foundational values of UVic’s Indigenous Plan guide how to put these values into practice in this program: honouring and developing the identity of participants through the inclusion of personal cultures, histories, and teachings and purposefully working together to develop expectations for this program and for the time spent in mentoring pairs/groups, as well as anticipating and preparing for the work ahead. A reminder to bring in your good feelings in all community mentorship workshops, mentor/mentee meetings, and other gatherings to help to set a positive mindset and set the tone for all interactions.
Mentorship Community Workshops: Monthly 90-minute sessions (one session per month: Oct, Nov, Dec) that bring all participants together to learn about the mentoring process and to practice skills to support their mentorship relationship such as goal setting, listening, and setting boundaries. These sessions are designed to support mentors and mentees, but also provide a time and space to develop a community of practice and provide an opportunity for the program to be responsive to the needs of the participants.
Education and Resources: Participants will have access to resources through the workshops and through social media feeds. Optional mentor/mentee monthly drop-in sessions: the purpose of these sessions is to provide a further support to participants to discuss their role as mentor or mentee. The program coordinator will also be available to meet individually with participants.
