Each February, Seedling hosts Mentor Support Lunches (both virtually and in person), giving mentors an opportunity to meet each other, share mentoring experiences, and offer support to their fellow mentors. This year, mentors were encouraged to speak about their practice of Self-Compassion as a Seedling Mentor.  The discussions revealed things like steps mentors take to refrain from overextending themselves, setting healthy boundaries and their self care practice along the way.  The added benefit, modeling this for their mentees.  

If you were unable to join us for one of these gatherings, our mentors shared that this experience was beneficial in so many ways.  One mentor shared that using the Mentoring Portal to record her visits allowed her to reflect on the discussions she had with her mentee and look for ways their relationship is deepening. This reminds her she is doing something worthwhile.  Another mentor spoke about the importance of reframing his expectations; explaining that he sees mentoring is a little part of the journey and their growth, “we are not in the center of it.”  Overall, our volunteers are making mentoring a priority by setting weekly reminders to help them get into mentor mode before they meet with their mentees; make it part of their weekly routine; and remembering to be fully present during their time together.

Following are the guiding questions Mentor Directors asked to get the conversations started.  Please take a moment to ask yourself a few of the questions.  Better yet, pick one or two and talk to a friend or your Mentor Director about your Seedling Mentoring experience.

• How do I seek support when I am feeling overwhelmed?
• How do I ensure I bring my best self to my mentoring relationship?
• What do I do to acknowledge and process the emotional impact of my mentoring experience?
• When life gets busy, how do I prioritize my mentoring relationship?
• How do I manage my time to ensure mentoring doesn’t feel like “one more thing” on my to-do list?
• What signs do I recognize in myself when I am feeling stretched too thin? How do I address them?

We are so thankful for all of our mentors who participated.  Our final Mentor Training for the year will take place virtually on April 2nd.  Hope to see you there!