inspiringleadershiptrust.com · web viewmentoring activity book. introduction. coaching is “ a...

Mentoring Activity BookIntroductionCoaching is “a process that enables learning and development to occur and thus performance to improve”1. Generally Coaching focuses on enhancing or eliminating specific behaviours.

An ally is someone who helps or co-operates with another. A mentor is a combination the roles of an ally and a coach. To be a Mentor is “to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be. 2" As a mentor you are there to help your mentees develop their ideas, realize their dreams, plan goals and make decisions in a supportive, safe environment.

You will help mentees

Find their passions and explore their interests Build on positive career-related experiences in their life and yours Set challenging but achievable goals Explore career and educational options Be informed about career-related opportunities.

As the mentor you will be more of a facilitator, exploring the mentee’s needs, motivations, desires, skills and thought processes to assist them in making real, lasting change, rather than taking a directive approach. It will be important to encourage a commitment to action so there can be a development of lasting personal growth and change. Nevertheless you must maintain unconditional positive regard for the mentee; be supportive at all times and non-judgmental of their views, lifestyle and aspirations.

This Mentoring Activity Book will provide some activities that you can complete with your mentee. They have been developed to make the sessions fun and engaging but with active learning for both of you. They have been designed to assist mentees in discovering:

Their interests and talents How they learn best Possible career pathways Learning after school How to make decisions and start planning.

1 Eric Parsloe, The Manager as Coach and Mentor (1999) page 8.2 Eric Parsloe, The Oxford School of Coaching & Mentoring.

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A Mentoring SessionAs the mentor you are there to help the mentee think for themselves, not do their thinking for them. You will need to develop a relationship with them to enable this. You will need to be prepared with activities to complete in the sessions, the learning goal for that session and a longer-term idea of how you want the sessions to progress. This book is here to support you with this.

Within the mentoring session you will need to:

Talk to your mentee Be a good role model Encourage career planning Evaluate the sessions.

Ice Breaker QuestionsIf you could give every person one special quality, talent, or skill, what would it be and why?Do you have any dreams that you have dreamed more than once? Describe them.If you could be a famous athlete, actor, writer or musician, who would it be and why?If you were invisible, where would you go and what would you do?If you could invent one thing, what would it be?What is the best song ever written?If you could know one thing about the future, what would it be?How do you choose your friends?What is the first thing you notice about a person?Describe the most beautiful thing you have ever seen.If you could trade places with anyone in the world, who would it be and why? How about someone in your family?

Talking to your mentee: the first conversations will break the ice. Activities in this section will help you to get to know each other. Be prepared to answer some of these questions yourself!

Be a good Role Model: You will have an influence over your mentee. It is important that this is positive, reflecting the values and strengths you want to pass on to your mentee. For example to teach your mentee the importance of being punctual, you yourself must turn up to sessions on time. To encourage good communication, you yourself must reply promptly to messages.

Career Planning: The purpose of the career-planning activities for mentees is to give them information and resources to help them discover their interests, talents and skills. This will help them make informed decisions. Keep in mind career planning is a life-long journey—not a single decision but many decisions that happen in a repetitive cycle. Who am I? Where do I want to be? What occupations are out there? What is right for me? How do I get there? Repeat!

The activities within this book are broken down into these areas. Before the session plan where you are in the cycle and choose an activity accordingly.

1. Who am I? Mentees will get to know themselves through learning and identify some of their interests, values, personality traits, skills, and abilities.

2. What occupations are out there? Mentees will explore possibilities by being exposed to occupations and learning about career paths.

3. What is right for me? Mentees will start to consider what they may like or dislike in the world of work and possible further education options.

4. How do I get there? Mentees will learn how to set goals and develop action plans.

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Evaluation: After you have completed each activity with your mentee, please indicate on your checklist (see Appendix) which activity you did. There is additional room for you to make your own notes on the activities: Was it too hard or easy? Did your mentee find it fun or boring? Or, was there something you changed about the activity to make it work better? The purpose of the activities checklist and the evaluation form is to track the activities completed and evaluate which ones provided the most learning but were also fun. This will help you both decide which activities you want to do in future sessions but also what type of activities you both enjoy. By choosing activities from the various sections you will move through the career planning process. Do not be restricted by the activities in this book. This is provided to aide your mentoring experience, not dictate it.

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List of Activities1. Getting to know you

1.1. Making cd covers 5

1.2. Conversation starters 6

1.3. Paper me 9

1.4. Animal personalities 10

2. Learning Styles2.1. My learning worksheet 11

2.2. How do I learn best? 13

2.3. Activities to accommodate specific learning styles 15

2.4. Mnemonics 16

3. Who am I? Strengths and weaknesses3.1. What would you do if….. 17

3.2. I like to collage 18

3.3. Who is in my relationship web? 19

3.4. The 5 whys 20

3.5. The definition of cool 21

3.6. Values auction 22

3.7. The birthday letter 23

3.8. Falling off the earth 24

4. What other occupations are out there?4.1. Mentor interview 25

4.2. Working me 26

4.3. Lego model 27

4.4. Words make my future 28

4.5. What does that person do? 32

4.6. Tools of the trade 35

5. What is right for me?5.1. The lemonade stand. 36

5.2. Where should I work? 37

6. How will I get there?6.1. My summary sheet. 39

6.2. My action plan. 40

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ActivitiesEach activity includes the learning objective, the supplies needed and instructions for completing the activity.

Activities should be fun and engaging. Most take only about 20 minutes to complete. So, if desired, you can do two activities in a mentoring session. There are no right or wrong answers—just fun learning.

1 Getting to Know You 1.1 Making CD Covers

What to do Each of you will make a cover for a CD case. Draw 2 squares on a piece of paper. One will be the front of the CD, one

will be the back. Decorate the front cover with pictures, symbols and words that represent

you. On the back cover, list songs that describe you and your life or make up

song titles.

What you Will Need Paper Scissors Pencil Rubber Pencil crayons Felt markers Magazines (cutting our pictures)

What Mentees Will learn You and your mentee will share information to get to know each other.

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1.2 Conversation StartersWhat to do

1. Read each question out loud to mentees and ask them to finish each sentence as quickly as possible. Do a sample question for your mentee to show how answering questions quickly is fun.

2. As mentees answer the questions, the mentor will write down the responses.

3. Before you ask your mentee these questions, you might want to imagine how you would answer them and be prepared to relate your answers to those of your mentee.

4. After completing five or so questions, go back and ask them to give more details in their answer if needed. Use their answers as conversation starters

What you will NeedPaperPencil

What Mentees Will learn Mentees will learn how to identify and recognize possible interests.

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Conversation Starters Worksheet

1. When I am not in work / school, I wish... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

2. If I had a £100, I would... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

3. People I like always... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

4. I’m happy when... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

5. I’m proud that I... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

6. When I grow up, I want to be... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

7. The funniest thing I ever saw was... ___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

8. The most important thing about me is...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

9. I like people who...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

10. Next mentoring session I would like to...

___________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________

11. I am happiest when...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

12. When I become a mother, I...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

13. I am best at...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

14. In school, I do best when...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

15. My friends think I am...

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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1.3 Paper MeWhat to do

1. Draw the basic outline of a person.2. Have mentees decorate the paper person to look like their grown-up self.

Use any materials: colouring pens, glitter, paper etc3. Add job clothes to the paper self. Ask: What clothing would you be

wearing? For example, would you be wearing a business suit or casual clothes, a construction hat and overalls, or a uniform? Maybe cut these out separately?

4. Add tools or equipment to the paper you that would be used in this job. Ask: What tools would you need to do this work? For example, would you need a hammer, pen, gloves, calculator, spatula, or computer?

5. Use this to explore further their choice of work.a. Why did they choose this type of work? What attracted them to it?

Is it because of what the job entails do or how they look?b. If it is the appearance, can they think of other jobs that need to

dress like that? E.g. if they want to wear a uniform, talk about the police, the military, a nurse etc.

c. What do they know about this type of work?

What Mentees will learn Mentees will have the opportunity to imagine themselves as successful adults working in the future and get exposure to various jobs and the skills required for these jobs.

What you will needPaperPencilScissorsDecorating materials e.g. glitter, pens, glue, magazines

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1.4 Animal Personalities What to do

1. List different animals2. Ask the mentees what they like about each animal. Explain, and give

example, of positive characteristics.3. Suggest that the positive characteristics the animal has, the mentee has

as well4. E.g. a bear: powerful, curious, strong, friendly, fearless

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about how to give and accept positive feedback.

What you will needPaperPencil

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2. Learning Styles. There are 3 different styles of learning:

1. With your hands; tactile/kinesthetic learning. These types of people learn best by moving and touching things or manipulating them. They like to find out how things work and are often successful in the labour trades and in industrial arts, such as carpentry or design.

2. With your eyes; visual learners. These learn best by watching. They call up images from the past when trying to remember. In their head, they picture the way things look.

3. With your ears; auditory learners. They learn best by listening. They remember facts when they are presented in the form of a poem, song or melody. Rhythm and sound patterns help them learn.

Most people prefer one way of learning, but can use all three depending on what they are learning.

2.1 My Learning Worksheet What to do

1. Read through the statements for the different learning styles.2. Ask the mentee to tick all those that apply to them.3. Add up the ticks to identify their dominant learning style

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will identify their preferred learning style.


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Tactile/Kinesthetic I enjoy running aroundI can’t seem to sit still.

I chew on ends of pencils and pens.

I can’t seem to sit still.

I chew on ends of pencils and pens.

I like to touch things, and Do Not Touch signs bother me.

I begin to dance and tap my feet when I hear music.

I enjoy sports and games.

Number of ticks

Visual I look at the pictures in books before reading.

I like colours and ashy objects.

I like to watch movies and can sit through them for long periods.I see things outside the window while riding in a car.

I like reading.

I like to write.

I understand maps.

I read the back of the cereal box.

Number of ticks

Auditory I like to listen to books on tape.

I enjoy music all the time.

I talk through steps of activities to follow.

I ask a lot of questions when I am doing an activity.

I am interested in listening to other people talk.

I volunteer to read aloud.

I explain things by talking.

I follow spoken directions well.

Number of ticks

My preferred learning style is ____________________________________ .

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2.2 How do I learn best?3

What to do1. Read through the statements.2. Ask the mentee to write either 1, 2, or 3 next to each statement.

a. 1 – Seldomb. 2 – Sometimesc. 3 – Frequently

3. Put the number into the results table next to the question number.4. Add the score to identify the dominant learning style

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will identify their preferred learning style.


After each statement write the number that best indicates how you feel.

Seldom 1Sometimes 2Frequently 3

1 I can remember something best if I say it aloud.

2 I prefer to follow written instructions rather than oral ones.

3 When studying, I like to chew gum, snack and/or play with something.

4 I remember things best when I see them written out.

5 I prefer to learn through simulations, games and/or role-playing.

6 I enjoy learning by having someone explain things to me.

7 I learn best from pictures, diagrams and charts.

8 I enjoy working with my hands.

9 I enjoy reading, and I read quickly.10

I prefer to listen to the news on the radio rather than read it in the newspaper.

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I enjoy being near others. (I enjoy hugs, handshakes and touches.)

12 I listen to the radio, tapes and recordings.

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When asked to spell a word, I simply see the word in my mind’s eye.

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When learning new material, I find myself sketching, drawing and doodling.

15 When I read silently, I say every word to myself.

3 Max Coderre, publisher of Teaching Today Magazine in Edmonton, Alberta, developed this inventory. It is designed to help you better understand your unique learning style.

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Results table:

Tactile / Kinesthetic Visual Auditory Question Score Question Score Question Score3 2 15 4 68 7 1011 9 1214 13 15Total: Total: Total:

The highest score shows that my learning style is _______________________.

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2.3 Activities to accommodate specific learning stylesOnce you have established the dominant learning style, use the following table to discuss different careers and activities that predominantly use that approach. Help the mentee to research careers that appeal to them. You may have to complete this in between sessions. Encourage your mentee to bring their research and further questions to your next session.

Tactile / kinaesthetic Visual Auditory

Careers Careers CareersCulinary arts Graphic Designers JournalistScience (Lab based) Police Disc Jockey /

BroadcastingEarly childhood development

Architecture Speech / language therapist

Theater or other performing arts

Therapy and Psychology Interpreter

Visual arts (sculpture, for example)

Teacher School / careers counsellor

Engineering Nurse Muscian

Studying Techniques Studying Techniques Studying Techniques

Assemble charts and diagrams.

Colour code notes Record Lectures / talks

Take Breaks When Studying.

Watch videos on a topic Text to speak tool (dictation software)

Combine an Activity with Studying.

Create graphic organizers such as diagrams and concept maps that use visual symbols to represent ideas and information.

Work in groups, discussing ideas. Debate.

Use Tools Such as Flashcards and Mnemonics.

Replace words with symbols

Explore noise within the working environment – some auditory learners like silence, other need background noise

Keep Your Fingers Busy While Studying.

Sit near the front to avoid distraction

Explain new topics to others.

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2.4 MnemonicsWhat to do1. Explain to mentees that you will be taking some items out of a bag, showing it

to them to them and then placing the items on a table. 2. When all the items (10) are on the table, cover them and ask the mentee to

write down as many of the items as they can remember in a couple of minutes.

3. Once time is up compare your mentee’s written answers to the items on the table.

4. Discuss with mentee why they remembered the items they did and if they remembered all 10 items, how did they do this.

5. Explore different memory techniques:1. Organise and associate the list i.e. group information into meaningful

categories. The more meaningful something is, the more likely we are to remember it. E.g. The items can be organised like a shopping list. With the shopping list the items could be grouped into: dairy products, meats, fruits / vegetables, cleaning products. Can the items be separated into a smaller number of categories and linked together? Alternatively, associate information with something you do. For example, with the shopping list if they know the layout of a shop, they could map out the store in their mind and place the items on the map where they would find them in the store.

2. Create words or acronyms. Take the first letter of each word and make a new word out of it (acronym). E.g. You can rememberthe colours of the rainbow (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet) using the acronym ROY G BIV. You can apply the same principle to the items in the list

3. Visualisation. Create visual images of the information. Expanding on the shopping list analogy, have a mental image of yourself taking a shopping trip and placing each of the items in your basket. This can be adapted to a written list by creating a picture of what each of the item looks like. Or visually map information you are trying to remember on something familiar to you (human body, car, map etc). The shopping list, for example, could be mapped on a body – the eggs on the eyes, nectarines on the nose, etc.

4. Put the information into a song or poem. The sillier or more unique the poem, the more likely you are to remember it. E.g. to remember the order of the points of a compass you could say Naughty Elephants Squirt Water (N, E, S, W)

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about effective learning strategies.

What you will needPaperPencilBag of 10 ItemsA cloth or similar to cover them over

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3. Who Am I? Strengths and Weaknesses3.1 What would you do if….

What to do1. Talk through different scenarios:

a. You lose the keys to your houseb. You find a lost dogc. Your friend gets hurtd. Add your own

2. Discuss how the mentee would solve the problem and then discuss how the mentor would solve the problem

3. Identify how different strengths within a person can be used to solve the same problem.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about how to give and accept positive feedback.


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3.2 I like to collageWhat to do

1. Create a collage of the mentees interests and activities they like to do. If they don’t want to make the collage, you could work together to make a mind map or similar of their interests and hobbies.

2. Explore the reasons why they like them. E.g. if it is a team sport maybe they like interacting with others, making new friends, working as a team, winning the game etc

3. Identify any common themes within the whole picture. E.g. do they like creative hobbies?

4. What strengths can you identify?5. Is there anything that they are not very good at but enjoy doing?6. If they are reluctant to talk about hobbies, you could talk about their

favourite movies, books etc.7. When your mentee has finished, get a blank sheet of paper and

brainstorm jobs that could use the mentees strengths and interests. E.g. if the reason they like being part of a team is working together to win the game, jobs that would include those aspects could be:

a. Marketing and sales b. Mechanic (work together to identify the problem and fix it) c. Estate agent

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will explore what their interests are and why they are important to them. This activity also allows you to gather ideas on how you can guide your mentee’s interests towards thinking about a career path.

What you will needPaperPencilGlueMagazineScissorsPensComputer and printer

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3.3 Who is in my relationship web?What to do

1. In the middle of a blank piece of paper write the mentees name and draw a circle around it.

2. Draw increasingly larger circles around their name.3. In these surrounding rings ask the mentee to write the category of people

in their life with whom they have close relationships: schoolmates, family, sports team members, teachers, etc. as they work their way out to the edge of the rings. They can write the names of people in these rings if they wish.

4. In each of the rings also write the strengths the mentee brings to each of the relationships. E.g. I am a good listener, I am positive, I am a good team player etc

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn how they interact with all the different people in their lives. They will understand that they have allies.

What you will needPaperPencilA compass or some way to draw circles.

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3.4 The 5 WhysWhat to do

1. Ask your mentee a question.2. Keep asking why until they run out of answers (it does not have to be 5

times!)3. Questions can include:

a. If you could spend the whole day doing something what would it be?

b. Who is your hero?c. What is your favourite book?d. What is your favourite film?e. Where is the your favourite place to visit?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will get to the root of why they like something or what their motivation is.


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3.5 The Definition of CoolDefinition of Cool: Something that is desired (really liked) or acceptable to a group of people, especially youth.

What to do1. Ask your mentee what they think is cool. Are people cool because of what

they can do or are capable of? Or are people cool because of what they have or own?

2. Discuss with your Mentee what a talent or skill is. Definition of Talent: A skill or ability that a person does really well.

3. Brainstorm a list of talents or skills your mentee perceives as being “cool” (E.g. being able to sing, snowboard, skateboard, make others laugh, do karate, juggle, care for a pet, draw, play football, play chess, or braid hair).

4. Have mentees look through magazines or newspapers to find famous people and ask them why these people are cool.

5. Then ask mentees to think of something they are good at and think of someone who uses this talent or skill in their career (for example, if the mentee is good at making people laugh and they think that is cool, then who is a famous person who has made a career out of making people laugh – Mirranda?!).

6. Ask mentees to think of a person they know who is good at something (e.g. a friend who can braid hair or can sing). Then discuss with your mentee why that person is cool.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will develop self-esteem and learn an appreciation for others.


Magazine

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3.6 Values AuctionWhat to do

1. Give your mentee the list of values (below).2. Ask them to say how much they would pay for them at an auction up to

£200 (if you are able to do this in a group then you could hold an actual action)

3. After the mentee has “bid” / ranked their values discuss which ones were the most important to them. Explore how these values are found in the mentees everyday life and how they can be found in a working environment.

4. If they could only afford to buy 5, which values would they be? Is there something on the list they would want to buy but isn’t there?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn what they value the most.


Values table:

Value Worth (£)AdventureCommitmentCommunityCompetitionCooperationCreativityExcellenceEnvironmentFamilyFreedomFriendshipsHelping Other PeopleHelping SocietyHonestyIndependenceInfluencing OthersKnowledgeLeadershipLoyaltyMoneyPhysical ChallengeRecognitionReligionTruthWisdom

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3.7 The Birthday LetterWhat to do1. Give mentees a sheet of paper and ask them to write a letter to themselves

that they’ll read on their 30th birthday. 2. Explain to mentees that they should imagine (or visualize) what they will be

doing, who they hope to become and what they have accomplished when they are 30. It will help them describe the life they hope to live.

3. Ask them to think about what they want to have done (travelling, qualifications, family) where they want to be living, what they are doing (career), relationships

4. You could put it in an envelope and revisit it at a latter stage of your mentoring partnership to see if anything has changed.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will start thinking of future.

What you will needPaperPencilEnvelope

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3.8 Falling off the EarthLooking at Earth from a space shuttle, you can see that our planet is a round ball.

In very early times, however, people thought the earth was flat. They were afraid to travel too far on the ocean because they thought they would fall off the planet, like going over a waterfall at the end of the world.

Early Greek scientists predicted that the earth was not flat. How did they do this? During an eclipse of the moon, they observed that the shadow that Earth cast on the moon was rounded. And, when they sailed on the vast ocean, they noticed that the horizon appeared curved, not straight across. These were clues that the earth was round.

Explorers and adventurers, such as Christopher Columbus, who were seeking trade with India and China, bravely began going longer distances by ship. Columbus eventually landed in North America and made it back home to Spain without having his ship plunge off the earth. Yet people remained skeptical and clung to the belief that the earth was at.

It took many centuries before most people truly believed the earth was round. Now we know that we can travel anywhere in the world and not fall off the earth.

What to do1. Read the Flat Earth story to your mentee. 2. Ask your mentee to list examples of beliefs they hold or “earth behaviours”

they have. I.e. stumbling blocks to having a more successful life. E.g. getting out of bed, being on time

3. Have mentees select one earth behaviour that they would like to change. Note: You may want to share with your mentee an earth behaviour that you have overcome. 4. Help mentees write an action plan to change their earth behaviour.

a. My earth behaviour is: e.g. getting up on timeb. My goal is: every day I will get up on timec. I will take these steps to achieve my goal:

i. Set my alarm 5 minutes earlier than the time I need to be up byii. I will not turn my phone on until I am dressediii. etc

d. Goal attainment: I will get up on time for 3 weeks in a row.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn how to set goals and write an action plan to overcome negative behaviours.


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4.0 What Other Occupations are Out There?You can make your own choices about your career and the life you want to live. Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. If you really want to do something, you will find a way to make those dreams happen4.

4.1 Mentor InterviewWhat to do

1. Allow your mentee to interview you. Give them some questions that they could ask to get the interview going (see below for examples) Encourage them to make notes on what you are saying

2. Discuss how your dreams and goals have changes, if you have attained them and what your dreams are now.

3. The mentee should now “introduce” you. Ask the mentee to present back the keys things they remember from your interview. It should include your name, age, an interesting fact and your dreams goals in life.

Interview Questions:1. What is your name?2. How old are you?3. Where are you currently employed?4. What do you do day to day?5. Do you enjoy your job?6. Is this what you thought you would be doing 10 years ago?

i. If not what did you want to be doing?ii. Would you still like to do that and do you think you would be able

to in the future?7. What would you like to be doing in 10 years time? 8. Where do you live?9. Where would you like to live?10. Do you have any hobbies?11. Are there any hobbies you would like to do but don’t do at the moment?12. Any other questions the mentee or mentor would like to add in?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about the mentor and their dreams. Also they will look at how to pick out key information from a conversation.


4 Advanced Education and Technology, Government of Alberta

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4.2 Woking Me: Work: Physical or mental effort to complete a task.

What to do1. Draw the outline of a person on a large piece of paper.2. Discuss that for most jobs you will use your mind and your body to a certain

extent every day! However certain jobs use one area more than another.3. Ask your mentee to name jobs where they would use their feet, their hands,

their mouth, their eyes, their minds, their noses etc. E.g. Hands: dishwasher, surgeon, dentist, musician, fire fighter. Feet: Postman, dancer, sports referee, truck driver. Mouth/Voice: singer, radio broadcaster, news reporter, teacher, chef (tastes). Eyes: Lifeguard, detective, welder, printer, graphic designer, waiter. Complete Body: rig technician(oil and gas), structural steel ironworker, painter and decorator, athlete, warehouse person, roofer. Mind: physician (doctor), computer programmer, business owner, electrician, heavy equipment operator, scientist. Nose (smell): gas fitter, plumber, farmer, chef, gardener, baker.

4. Mentor writes these jobs on the area of their paper body that uses these senses or parts.

5. Discuss if there is a part of the mentee that they feel is “stronger” that they would like to use in their job.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about jobs that use various senses and parts of the body.


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4.3 Lego ModelWhat to do

1. Build the kit together.2. While building the kit discuss:

a. What types of jobs are needed to build the model (car, plane etc) for real? For example, you may need the following: engineer to design it, autobody mechanic, manufacture for parts, tool and die maker, machinist, entrepreneur to develop the products, project manager to make sure it gets built.

b. What types of jobs that model generates. E.g. a plane needs a pilot, co-pilot, air traffic, air stewards, ticket booking, passport control, engineers to maintain it, scientist to develop the design etc.

c. What types of jobs are needed to create the lego model? E.g. designer, brick developer, plastic manufacturer, supply, retail etc.

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about various occupations involved in the creation of one item.

What you will needLego model kit for a plane, car or truck etc

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4.4 Words make my future5

What to do1. Cut out the words and definitions below so they are separate. You can

pick out some or use them all.2. Muddle the words and definitions up.3. Work with your mentee to match up the words to their definition. 4. Discuss the words and their meaning. Are there any words or phrases

that are particular to your business?5. Are any of the words / phrases familiar to your mentee?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about “jargon” and different words used in business.

What you will needScissors Printout of words and meanings

Word or Phrase used in Business

Definition / Meaning

Above board: Done properly from all aspects: ethically and legally.

Actionable narrative:

Providing information that can be acted on or used to make a decision

At the end of the day:

What it is all about – the objective.

Baked-in: Typically made in reference to a valuation. For example, “the value of this pending acquisition is already baked into the share price.”

Bank shot: Accidentally achieving a successful result. When things don’t go according to plan, but still work out very well, that’s a bank shot.

Bang for your buck: Getting the best value for your money.

Basically: Just a substitute for ‘um’. Often preludes a bullshit statement.

Big Hitter: Someone with a strong track record of success – one who typically invests substantial sums of money, on a regular basis, into various ventures.

Bootstrap: To start a business with little to no outside financial help.

Bean Counter: Derogatory term for an accountant.

Best in Breed: The absolute most talented firm or individual in a specific

5 http://capitalistcreations.com/boardroom-jargon-learning-the-language-of-business/

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industry.

Bleeding: Losing money.

Burn rate: Total monthly fixed costs.

Consultant: Fancy word for contract worker.

Council: Legal advice.

Compliant: In line with industry regulations.

Cross T’s and dot the i’s:

Finalizing all the details and making sure everything is perfect.

Capital injection: Providing a company with money. This is typically done for a company that is desperate for cash. It is done in return for an ownership percentage.

CC: Conference call (or carbon copy on email)

DD: Acronym for due diligence. DD means to conduct a thorough investigation, typically for an investment.

Feelers: Testing the fundraising waters with investors or consumers. Seeing what kind of interest there is for your company, product etc.

Hot air: Another term for bullshit.

He/She is a hustler: In most circles this is a negative statement, but not in business. It’s positive because it means someone is a hard worker with an ability to close the deal.

LOI: Letter of intent. This is an agreement that describes what party A is willing to do to take a stake in party B or its asset(s). It is typically the initial document signed by two parties in the early stage of an acquisition.

MOU: Memorandum of understanding. A soft, legal agreement between two parties that one may buy, sell or make some kind of a deal down the road pending certain milestones are hit. MOUs are good, but they often fall apart given how many variables they stipulate must go according to plan in order for them to be executed. An LOI is often viewed as more serious than an MOU.

Name equity: The value of someone’s name based on their past success. Someone like Richard Branson has a tremendous amount of name equity because of all his past successes. Having someone with substantial name equity in a management role provides the company with ample

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opportunity to raise capital at favourable terms. The flip side of that is someone who is starting a business for the first time, fresh out of college. This person has zero name equity and potentially faces a challenging road to raise capital. Someone like this should partner up with an individual who has significant name equity.

NDA: Non-disclosure agreement. This is a legal document that, when signed, puts a muzzle on everyone involved. An NDA is used when outsiders of a company are being shown confidential information. I recently signed a NDA to take a look at a new technology of a company’s that was not yet patented.

Nickel and dime: Another term for being cheap and tight with money.

Private Placement: This is a term used by publicly traded companies. When these companies need to raise capital to continue business operations, they often do so by selling shares in their company (with a warrant attached to the sale) privately. While it raises money and pads the company treasury, it is also dilutive, meaning those who owned shares in the company prior to the private placement will see their ownership decreased on a percentage basis.

Pubco: A publicly traded company.

Regulations: The rules governed by an industry watchdog that absolutely must be followed.

Restructuring: This can mean one of two things. It either means that a management change (typically multiple roles) is on the table; or it means the capital structure (the share structure) of a company needs to be improved. Improving the share structure often results in buying back stock, paying a dividend or eliminating a certain percentage of the outstanding shares. For big, successful companies, a share restructuring can also mean doing a stock split, making the shares more affordable, so to speak.

Rollback: When a company decreases the amount of shares outstanding. For publicly traded companies this often requires a shareholder vote as it erodes the amount of shares investors own in the company. Rollbacks are often conducted after a business model fails and the publicly traded company wants a fresh start, typically with a new venture.

Running on fumes: Typically in reference to a company that has run out of money.

Rubik’s Cube: A very difficult problem to solve.

Scalability: Is your product profitable on small and large scale

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production? Do margins remain relatively stable or increase if production increases? You’ll often hear the question, “is it scaleable?”

Seed round: The initial round of financing. This is typically completed by venture capitalists and/or friends and family.

Stand up guy: Reliable and reputable.

Sweat Equity: The amount of time, energy and sacrifices (non-monetary) put into a business or project.

Synergistic relationship:

In short, this means a relationship that bears equal fruit for both parties involved. You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

Tiger by the tail: To have favourable control over the end result.

Treasury: How much money the company has in cash and liquid assets.

VC: Venture capitalist. This is a firm or individual who invests in startup companies for a living.

Warrant: Gives an investor the ability to buy shares in a company, during a specified period of time, at a set price.

When the rubber hits the road:

A point in time when it will be known if the business will succeed or fail.

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4.5 What does that Person do?

Definitions: Job: a place where a person works for a specific employer Occupation: a group of similar jobs.

What to do1. Simply cover over the descriptions and see if your mentee knows what

that occupation entails. You do not have to do all of them. 2. Discuss the different occupations.

a. Why do we need this occupation?b. What type of activities do you think this occupation involves?c. When do they work? (shifts, early mornings etc)d. How much do you think they get paid?e. What would you need to do to get that type of job? f. What would you like / dislike about doing this job? g. Have you thought about doing something like this? h. Are there any other job titles or occupations that you would like

more information on?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about various occupations they can choose and about jobs with unusual names.

What you will needScissors Printout of occupations list with their descriptions.

Occupations List

Occupation DescriptionActuary predict and monitor if future events are going to happenApiarist beekeeperArborist plant and take care of treesBarrister lawyerBlaster breaks up rock by using explosivesCardiologist doctor who treats heart problemsCaterer prepares food for eventsChauffer drives people from place to placeCosmetician sells makeup to people and tells them how to use itCritic reviews and comments on books, food, movies, etc.Demographer studies groups of people and looks at numbers, ages and growthDental assistant help’s the dentist work on people’s teethDenturist makes false teeth for peopleEcologist studies the environment and the living things in itElectrician installs and repairs electrical systems such as lightsEntomologist study bugs as well as plan and run various bug related programsFire fighter puts out res and protects people from the dangers of fire

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Floral designer create oral arrangements as well as sell and care for flowersFood scientist studies what food is made of

Gemologist studies and identifies various precious and semi-precious stones e.g. diamonds

Geologist studies the earth’s crust and help to develop resources from it e.g. oil and gas

Glazier cuts and installs glass to make windows, glass doors and other glass or mirror products

Hairstylist Cuts, styles, colours and perms people’s hairHistorian researches historyHydrologist studies water on earthIllustrator draws picturesInterior decorator decorates homes or work places

Interpreter translates language including sign languageIronworker works with steel and metals to build buildings, bridges, etc.Jeweller makes and repairs jewelleryLandscape gardener designs and installs gardens, lawns, parks, etc,

Police officer enforces the law, apprehends criminals, assists victims of crime, promotes traffic safety, etc.

Librarian helps people find books and makes sure the library has books people are looking for

Locksmith installs and repairs locks, makes keys and may install security systems

Makeup artist applies makeup for performers on stage, TV and in photosMassage therapist gives massages to people

Meteorologist studies and predicts the weatherNail technician cleans, shapes and paints finger and toe nailsNanny takes care of children in private homesOceanographer studies the ocean and everything in itOptical technician Makes, puts together and fixes eyewear

Optometrist an eye doctor who examines people’s eyes and prescribes treatment

Paramedic (emergency Medical responder)

provides pre-hospital emergency medical care and transportation for the sick and injured

Paediatrician a doctor for children

Pharmacist provides medical drugs prescribed by a doctor and promotes healthy living

Podiatrist a foot doctorPublic health Inspector educates the public and enforces health rules

Recording/sound engineer use equipment to alter or record sound e.g. record a song

Reporter gathers information and writes articles for print, radio or television

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Rig technician operates oil and gas drilling rigsSculptor creates art out of clay, wood, metal, stone, sound or virtual realitySet designer designs sets for plays, TV and moviesSheet Metal Worker

designs, creates and installs sheet metal products e.g. heating vents

Swine technician involved in all areas of hog (pigs) production, or may be involved in caring for and breeding hogs at a certain stage

Telemarketer calls people to sell products or services, ask for donations or conduct surveys

Theatre director in charge of creating of a playTool and die maker

builds and repairs special tools used for manufacturing (making) stuff

Upholsterer covers furniture with fabric or leatherVeterinarian animal doctorVisual Merchandiser creates displays that capture peoples attention

Web designer creates websites

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4.6 Tools of the TradeWhat to do

1. Using the list of jobs below discuss the tools and uniform each will need and why.

2. Discuss the daily activities for each job and how the tools and uniform are important.

3. Ask questions such as:a. How is the tool used?b. Is it used all the time?c. Would it be hard work using this tool?d. What environment would people doing this job be working in?e. Why do people wear uniforms? Protection form the weather, heat,

germs, water, hazards such as chemicals, x-rays? Identify themselves and their work?

f. Would you like to wear a uniform?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn about the tools people use to do their jobs.

What you will needPrintout of jobs and tools

Occupation Tools

Welder Overalls, torch, helmet

Cook Stove, knives, apron

Farmer Tractor, overalls, wellies

Florist Vase, watering can, scissors

Accountant Suit, calculator, computer, pencil

Dental Hygienist Mouth wash, floss, brushes

Teacher text books, white board, red pen

Seamstress Sewing machine, needle, thread

Referee Whistle, sports gear

Radio Broadcaster CD’s, headphones

Scientist Lab coat, safety glasses, gloves

DoctorStethoscope, thermometer, surgical gloves and mask, scaple

Commercial Airline Pilot Airlines uniform, hat

Army officer Fatigues, mess dress

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5. What is right for me?5.1 The Lemonade Stand

What to do1. Consider what it will be like to run your own business. What do you need

to think about? This activity uses the example of a lemonade stand but can be changed to whichever business the mentee is interested in. Keep it simple to begin with such as cleaning, dog walking, baby sitting. The ideas can then be expanded.

2. Consider:a. What equipment / supplies you will needb. Will you have a partner / employees? How will the money be

divided? c. What are the start up costs? E.g. for the lemonade stand there will

be ingredients, cups, jugs, advertising, table etcd. How much will you charge per cup? Per jug?e. What will you need to do to determine your profit? f. How does the mentee feel about being in charge and running their

own business? Is there anything that can be done to support them and improve their perspective on running a business?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will plan, set goals and learn what it’s like to be an entrepreneur and run a business.

What you will need

Pen Paper

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5.2 Where should I work?What to do1. Read the statements below on Where should I work2. Ask the mentee to identify the environments they would be happy to work

in. You could write yes or no next to each statement, or rank them in order of preference.

3. Discuss their answers:a. List the 5 most important statements relating to your work environmentb. Do these 5 have anything in common?c. Can you name any jobs relating to these work environments?

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will select an appropriate work environment for their personality.

What you will needPenPencil

Where should I work?

Work Setting I would enjoy working…….Outdoors

Indoors

At home

Driving

Operating Equipment

In the City

Underground

Walking

In a quite place

Where there is music playing

Small spaces

Somewhere creative

A noisy place

In an open plan office

In my own office

Sitting down

Repeating a similar activity

High in the air

In a big open space

Alone

Doing a physical task

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In a uniform

With adults

With children

Surrounded by technology

With a lot of different tasks

Using my initiative to organise my day

Where I have to report to a boss

With deadlines

Helping others

Flexible hours

With nature

Monday to Friday fixed hours

With a partner

With a team

Shifts

With numbers

With machines

Other

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6. How will I get there?These next 2 activities are more of a consolidation and should be considered later in the mentee : mentor relationship. They give the mentee the opportunity to look back at what you have discussed, highlighting their interests, strengths, values and goals. It can be done at the mid point to identify how far you have come and show where you need to explore further.

6.1 My Summary SheetWhat to do1. Draw a flower2. In each petal write the key words from your activities together. E.g.

a. Favourite subjects / interestsb. Valuesc. Strengthsd. Favourite jobse. Favourite work environmentf. My future self

3. Under each petal brainstorm what you have learnt about each area.4. Are there any petals that need more work?5. Is there anything that surprises the mentee?6. How can you the mentor support the mentee as they continue their

journey?

What Mentees will learn.To look back on all you have completed together and where they want to go next


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6.2 My Action PlanWhat to do1. Help mentees think of three goals they would like to accomplish. They can

be short term (e.g. planning work experience) or long term (e.g. planning how to achieve their dream job).

2. Fill out ‘My three goals’ on ‘My Action Plan’. 3. Help mentees think of three to five steps they will take to achieve each

goal and fill in the chart. 4. Ask mentees to think of ways so they will know they have reached their

goal. Brainstorm together. 5. Complete the ‘I will review my progress and reach my goal by’ date

column. 6. Ask how you can support them achieving their goal7. Sign the form

What Mentees will learn.Mentees will learn how to set goals and plan for the future


My Action Plan:

My Goal Steps I will take I will have achieved my goal when….

I want to have achieved my goal by….

1.

2.

3.

I am committed to this plan of action!

Mentee signature:

Mentor signature:

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AppendixPlease use this form to track your progress. It will help to inform future sessions with this mentee as well as identifying good activities to use with future mentees.

Activity Evaluation Form: Date:Mentee name:Mentor name:Activity name:Brief description of what you did:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What were the outcomes?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mentee: Did you find this activity: Mentor: Did you find this activity:Really fun Really funSomewhat fun Somewhat funUnsure UnsureSomewhat boring Somewhat boringReally boring Really boring

Mentee: How much did you learn: Mentor: How much did you learn:Learned something new Learned something newConfirmed what I knew Confirmed what I knewUnsure UnsureDid not learn very much Did not learn very muchLearned nothing Learned nothing

Would you use this activity again? Yes NoPossible areas to look at in the next session: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

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References and Further Reading

There is a wealth of resources for mentoring and mentoring activities on the internet. This resource has been developed using the following:

The High School Teen Mentoring Activity Book; Government of Alberta Mentoring Activity Ideas; Mentor Michigan Mosaic Secondary School Group Mentoring Resources; Mosaic, Businesses

in the Community 100 Ideas to use when Mentoring Youth; Millersville.edu; Linda Phillips-Jones

et al. Mentoring Handbook; FAWE-U, Cambridge University and the Centre for

Commonwealth Education. Your Child’s Strengths, Jenifer Fox, M.Ed., 2008

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