Become a BSDI Mentor

Do you have a passion to see others do well? Could you use your experience, skills, and knowledge to help others reach their potential? Then you should consider being a mentor with Big Sis Duku Initiative.

 

Whether you have a lot of time to commit or a little, you can become a part of BSDI’s Mentors.

QUALITIES OF A BSDI MENTOR

Not everybody will be able to mentor. Good mentors are hard to come by. A good mentor exhibits the personal attributes it takes to be successful in his/ her chosen field. By showing the mentee what it takes to be productive and successful, they are demonstrating the specific behaviors and actions required to succeed in the field.

 

A BSDI Mentor is encouraged to have or be developing at least these seven qualities.

1. An effective mentor is a lifelong learner

 

Personal development is important. Good mentors are committed to nurturing habits that help their growth. They also take responsibility for setting and reviewing ongoing personal and professional goals.

By keeping an open mind, mentors model the importance of learning to their mentee’s.

 

2. Effective mentors see the bigger picture

 

Good mentors see the big picture. They don’t consider their meetings to be informal chats or catch ups, but recognise that their purpose is to facilitate another persons’ growth.

They’ll consider their role in the mentee’s life as significant, and count it a privilege to help them in reaching their goals.

 

3. They know the importance of being transparent

 

Effective mentors build rapport. This’ll mean being vulnerable, open, and transparent. It’ll require being human! They’ll share insights, wisdom and advice from their own experiences, failures and successes.

 

4. Effective mentors practice what they teach

 

Good mentors who are those who take their own advice. The mentors who work best with others have themselves had experience of being mentored. They value mentoring because they’ve known the benefits of having a mentor as part of their development.

 

5. They believe that life change happens

 

Effective mentors believe that people can change. “To help people to succeed, we need to first believe they have the capacity to change.”They’re committed to helping people take steps to make the changes necessary for them to discover, develop, and flourish in their purpose.

 

6. They offer guidance and feedback

 

A mentor is someone who will offer constructive feedback. This will prove invaluable in the growth of anyone being mentored, as they can use this to identify strengths and areas for development. “The delicate act of mentoring someone is not creating them in your own image, but giving them the opportunity to create themselves.” Steven Spielberg

 

7. They’re committed to the process

 

Good mentors take their responsibility seriously and know that lasting change takes time. They see the relationship as an investment; so will follow through when needed.

They allocate structured time, as they understand the value of meeting consistently and regularly, rather than on an ad hoc basis.

 

 

So - Are You Ready?