I'm a Supporter. What are my responsibilities if I am 'assigned' to a Mentee?

Kandu networks with Match & Track functionality allow Supporters (mentors, coaches, advisors and so on) to be ‘assigned’ to a Mentee, which means the Supporter will be granted access to a Mentee’s personal online Progress Page. This will give them access to the Mentee’s online Goals, related Tasks, and a list of any fellow assigned Supporters also assigned to that Mentee. 

(To request an assignment - perhaps because you've met someone you want to work with on a Kandu network - please message your network Admin. They will then 'assign' you together online to give you the tools to collaborate).

If you are a Supporter and are asked to join a Mentee’s Supporter Team, and agree, you are accepting an assignment. This means you agree to provide regular (at least monthly) online feedback on your Mentee using the reporting features on this network for as long as you are willing and able to stay assigned to that Mentee. 

Collecting regular Supporter feedback helps Kandu’s clients collect data on how Mentees are progressing against programme, business and or/ personal Goals, and collects what notes or other Tasks you might suggest that may increase your Mentee’s likelihood of achieving their Goals. 

Clients may also ask you to agree to a separate Support or Mentoring contract, which will be emailed to you at the time of Assignment and/or listed below. But as a minimum Kandu asks you to:

• Prepare for meetings by viewing your Mentee's Progress Page ahead of time. Although the Mentee may not directly want to discuss their Goals and Tasks with you, they are the context by which you should have conversations. This helps align Supporter efforts to the programme and/or Mentee's goals. You can access their progress page through your My Mentees section on the network.

• Be reliable in keeping appointments and monitoring the length of sessions (time keeping);
• Follow mentoring and/or advisory good practice during your meeting or call
  • Create a safe place for discussions
  • Help Mentees work things out for themselves and avoid giving instructions on how Mentees must act unless you are an On Demand advisor
  • Help Mentees establish what help they want/need and how they might access it
  • Avoid jumping to conclusions or being judgmental but nevertheless asking challenging questions
  • Help Mentees explore options - the advantages/disadvantages of different courses of action (sometimes perhaps offering options for Mentees to consider based on the Supporters’ own experience)
  • Encourage Mentees to reflect on specific experiences in order to learn from them
  • Actively listen and help Mentees explore their ideas without imposing your own
  • Ask questions to get Mentees to explore issues more deeply
• Add a meeting report into your Mentee's progress page during or just after your meeting or call which 
  • Encourages Mentees to update their learning, development and business Goals and Tasks;
  • Helps Mentees to identify, prioritise and plan how to meet their business’ and/or career needs - this may include recommending they use or read certain resources eg Business Model Canvas, leadership books
  • Give constructive feedback as and when appropriate.

Assigned Supporters and Mentees can dissolve their relationship at any time with no ‘blame’ attached, as sometimes relationships just don’t work out as hoped or expected. To request de-assignment or reassignment, please contact Admin in Messages at any time.