The dictionary definition of a mentor is a "wise and trusted adviser or friend" and it was this principle that guided Gary Tranter when he was asked to investigate the potential for a wide-ranging mentoring project at North Birmingham College.
The mentoring scheme was piloted with students attending the NBC Sports Academy and then expanded to include other students in the sport, beauty and travel area of the college.
Within a very short time, some 40 volunteer mentors had joined the scheme.
These were recruited from NBC staff across a wide range of disciplines, students and ex-students and those referred from the Birmingham Mentor Access Point, who also provided mentor awareness training.
The scheme was equally popular with the students, 45 of whom were recruited to the programme, which carefully matched mentor and mentee to provide the best possible support for each student.
A need was identified for a formal mentoring qualification and this was written and given accreditation by OCN. The qualification started in January 2003 with Level 1 introduction and Level 2 developing mentoring skills attended by a total of 44 students, many of whom were also mentors to NBC students.
The course, which is open to all, continues this month at the first two levels as well as Level 3 application of mentoring skills. A fourth level is planned for next September to provide progression for those who wish to continue their mentoring studies.
In addition, the qualification has been adapted to the needs of the Perry Common Regeneration Project and is now being delivered at their own site.
How rapidly mentoring has become an important focus for students at North Birmingham College can be seen by the establishment of a new study/mentoring centre within the Great Barr site which has the aim of raising their retention and achievement.
The establishment of mentoring at NBC now provides the platform for the college to become a local epicentre of a wide range of mentoring activities.
They include Outreach training, qualification delivery and the development of an exemplar in-house student mentoring service which will continue whatever the future brings.
