Inclusive Mentorship Skill Development

How do you prioritize student belonging through inclusive mentorship?

Inclusive mentoring refers to a type of mentor-mentee relationship in which both parties learn from each other and benefit from the relationship, and is intended to lower the power imbalance and make the relationship more accessible and equitable to people from all backgrounds and identities. In this model, mentors connect with the student around their different identities. This model is different from the traditional model of mentorship, in which the mentor teaches, supports and directs the student, and the student learns from and serves the mentor. Because this model is different to what many of us have experienced, mentors need to develop skills to do it well.

How we did it:

Our team was joined by an inclusive mentorship specialist who led the initial training sessions and facilitated mentor peer learning. Mentors in the ARC-Learn program participated in three, two-hour training sessions during winter term of the first year of the program. Attendance was mandatory, and mentors had the option of viewing the video if they were not able to make it. Mentors were required to complete a short assessment (accountability for attendance and participation) and to write out their own mentoring philosophy.

Mentors met for ninety minutes each term as a peer learning community, where we discussed logistical concerns and troubleshooted student needs and issues. We also discussed less tangible messages and values for mentors to model, such as: fostering a sense of belonging to ARC-Learn, the science community and the polar science community; creating safe spaces for exploration; welcoming and being responsive to the diversity of identities and life experiences of their students; the messy nature of research; research careers as a winding path; etc.

Considerations for your program:

Consider funding a specialist to conduct skill development training sessions, or use online resources such as Mentoring the next generation: Using undergraduate research to broaden engagement and impact in STEM.

Create opportunities for mentors to work together in community to support each other as they experience similar situations with students. Support this connection through the whole length of the program.

With inclusive mentorship, it’s very important that mentors spend the time and energy to reflect on themselves and their own ideas when it comes to mentoring students. As part of program requirements, work with mentors to develop and articulate their mentoring philosophy.

Some mentors are so comfortable with the traditional style of mentorship that they may have a difficult time with the new model, especially as it is time and energy intensive. While it may not be convenient for the program, allow for mentors to leave if they are not thriving in the program, for the benefit of themselves and their students.

Provide the opportunity for mentors to weigh in when creating assignments and evaluation criteria for student work, while respecting the limited amount of time mentors have available to participate in the program. This will help mentors feel more invested in the assignments, and more empowered to support students in meeting the requirements of the program.

Build in the opportunity for students, fellow mentors, and other team members to provide constructive feedback so mentors can grow (anonymous survey, exit interview, etc). Consider offering several mechanisms for students to provide this feedback so they feel more comfortable sharing.