How To...

two women reading a note

Geting it right

These were the key lessons that emerged in our research, and we explore each one in more detail below.

  • Flexibility is critical – allow different types of support to suit different people’s needs
  • Create an environment conducive to peer support where people can open up
  • Give your mentors a successful model to work to
  • Make sure you have the right match between mentor and client – if it does not work, change it
  • Remember that mentors are on their own journey as well and that they need lots of support too and development opportunities to fit their interests and strengths

 

Flexibility is critical – allow different types of support to suit different people’s needs

People benefit from a mix of support to use in different ways – the camaraderie of peers at the same level and the example and drive of a mentor. You might even want to add befrienders for one-to-one social activities or advocates for moral support with important meetings. 

Help people engage with peer support

Our mentors gave the following tips.
  • "The main thing is to find ways to allow people to open up - outdoor actvities are great for that! You can do a lot of work in the office, but you do much better outdoor (allotments, hill wlaking, etc). But confidentiality is very important!"
  • “You need to help them build trust in themselves and each other, admit that it is okay to rely on other people – team building activities are really good for that.”
  • "A common interest or common understanding is the foundation of good peer support.”
  • “Sharing problems and getting feedback from other people – makes you feel equal, not different.”
  • “Smaller groups work better than large ones – we start with 10 people but there are always people dropping off.”

Give your mentors a model for success

The support the peers give to each other in a group is not always enough to help overcome problems. Mentors can provide that extra drive and understanding of the possibilities. To work successfully with their clients, mentors need to be well trained and be able to:
  • Make them feel good about themselves – compliments are not part of the culture in many parts of Scotland, so people may be unaware of their strengths. Identifying them and pointing out how they can be valuably used can help people take on board their strengths and relate them to career potential.
  • Make the client aware of what they are going through, recognising their steps and achievements – being conscious of the process deepens and speeds up the learning and development process.
  • Build up the client’s sense of responsibility – “At the beginning the mentor does 95% of the work and the client only 5%, but if all works well, at the end the client ends up doing all the work. You only need to do baby steps, don’t push; let them find their own pace. Most importantly, listen!”
  • You need to let them progress at their own pace – “Don’t push them! Simply show them the light at the end of the tunnel.”
  • Encourage independence – “You have to develop a relationship, but be aware of not getting too involved, as clients need to move on and not become dependent.”

Make sure you have the right match between mentor and client

Consider the personalities of the people you are matching, the types of problems they have each dealt with, and the age of person the client is likely to respect or relate to. 
  • Some young people will only relate to and respect other young people, while others are quite interested in having someone a bit older to look up to.
  • Mentors who have been through drug addictions might have more useful practical experience for a client with a drug addiction than a mentor who had alcohol problems, and vice versa. Similarly, people with particular types of anxieties or ways of dealing with them could help each other more than people with completely different mental health problems.
  • The most important aspect, however, is the rapport. If the mentor and client are not getting on, it can undermine both their progress, so change the match.

Remember that mentors are on their own journey as well and that they need lots of support too and development opportunities to fit their interests and strengths

Mentors, and indeed other supportive peers, can provide a richness to the client’s experience and propel them along their path more effectively than support from staff alone. However, they need to be looked after and valued for their own development.
  • Make sure mentors’ support role is additional, not gap-filling, and that they are given responsibility than it is reasonable for them to cope with.
  • Play to their strengths and give them opportunities to develop that are in line with their interests and talents.
  • Make sure they are well trained and supported, as described in the section on training and support for mentors.
  • If they would like to work within the organisation, encourage them to apply for internal positions that arise or seek funding to create new ones. 
  • If mentoring is a stepping stone to something entirely different that they would like to do, make sure they keep developing their skills and contacts in the other area too.
  • Always see each mentor as a person and help them develop their potential