PR & CSR: ANU-GEF Mentorship Programme

Introduction

ANU students, mainly mentors and SIFE, are involved with High School scholars in a mentorship relationship. The contact between the two groups is made through group activities organized jointly by GEF and ANU. GEF usually makes the  programme and provides ANU with information on the topics selected.

Rationale

The traditional model of sponsorship with only a funding component has many disadvantages, particularly at the high school level. It provides even more challenges for scholars from very disadvantaged backgrounds whose needs go  beyond the need for funds. While the funding component is the basis for the donor-recipient relationship, it does not always lead to the transformation that education is meant to achieve. For real transformation to take place, funding must be complemented by building of skills, changing of attitudes, enhancing of appropriate exposure and rekindling of hope that will lift the scholar to a new level. This is the role that the mentorship programme is expected to play.

The Objectives

1. Assist with building skills for the high school scholars. The skills include: Leadership, Communication, and Entrepreneurship/Business Management, among others.
2. Stimulate hope. Most of the scholars are from very disadvantaged backgrounds and require help to see life in a different light from the hopelessness to which they are accustomed.
3. Build the scholars self-esteem through interaction and activities that enhance personal discovery and development.
4. Support the scholars' learning by providing motivation through selected topics such as taking examinations, career choices, and study skills.

Strategy

• Group Meetings – GEF and ANU organise meetings on a regular basis. These are attended by the GEF scholars and staff, ANU students and staff, teachers from the schools and facilitators that are invited from time to time. A typical group meeting lasts at least 5 hours and includes activities such as games, small group discussions/activities, message from a facilitator, sharing meals/drinks.
• ANU mentors and SIFE students are assigned to schools which the scholars attend. The goal is to provide a closer interaction for the ANU students and the scholars. Small groups can be facilitated to meet separately, although the main contact remains in the group meetings. 
  Note: ANU mentors usually deal with issues of personal development, while SIFE specifically deals with Entrepreneurship and Business Management skills. 
  SIFE runs a Business Plan Competition and provides seed money to the winning proposals to start their businesses.
• Facilitators who are specialists in their areas are invited during the group meetings to speak on various issues. A number of ANU staff are involved as facilitators.