Mentorship

OUR VIEW ON MENTORSHIP

Our name is not MENTORA by coincidence. MENTORA’s work rests on two pillars: financial student support is one and mentorship the other. This combination is important for us since a grant to pay admission fees and textbooks helps here and now, while mentorship will give the long-term guidance which is needed to complete the studies and enter the labor market. 

The word mentor carries many meanings, of which we put great emphasis on the significations advisor, guide and counsellor. Many of our adepts lack study-experience and the task of the mentor is to be a support throughout their education as well as helping the adept in finding their own path to empowerment – to use their knowledge and rights. The mentorship will build a foundation for the rest of their life.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

In order to take part of MENTORA’s program the mentorship is obligatory. In the application the adept needs to formulate what she wants from the mentorship and we do our best to match adept and mentor. 

The mentor checks in with the adept about every two weeks to see how the studies are going. Beyond that we have a minimum of at least two digital meetings per semester between adept and mentor, where content and number of meetings are arranged according to the needs of the adept. Meetings can be arranged online or by phone. 

Adepts and mentors also meet digitally all together once every term. Based on requests that have arisen in the group, they have conducted “charlas” (talks) on different subjects which have felt important to the participants, for example “confidence”.

The mentors also meet digitally by themselves to exchange experiences, address challenges and cooperate to solve them. In this way the whole group of mentors become a common resource for all of the adepts. 

Our coordinators on site in Guatemala meet with the adepts and check how their studies are going. At the end of each semester the mentorship is evaluated. 

DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A MENTOR?

Apply for the fun and developing assignment of becoming a mentor by emailing admin@mentora.eu.To become a MENTOR/MENTORA you need to meet the following suitability criteria:

• you have an academic education.
• you are fluent in Spanish.
• you are well acquainted with Central America and societal conditions there. 
• you are committed to women’s right to education.