Rotary e-mentoring

Receivers (Tutors): the Rotarians.

Beneficiaries (Pupils): the Rotaractors.

Goals: professional orientation and assistance/help/support in the projection of an intended study path, to develop a career, or in the profession to enter or just entered.

Technical tools: Mentor and Pupil will need to have access to a computer and internet service. It is requested that a Messenger voice module is installed, preferably with Webcam and also the use of Skype.

The idea: this is like building a virtual airport, with control towers (the coordinators), information rooms and take-off and landing runways, allowing timely selected and coordinated teams of one Mentor/one pupil to set on a flight together.
These partnerships do take off and are duly registered with their flight plan, monitored through the radars (specific data charts) by specialists and advisors (even external ones) capable of providing qualified assistance as many times as needed, and then land at the end of their mission.

The Pupils: this E-Mentoring service will accept rotaractors in possession of a high school diploma or enrolled in a University, and willing to take advantage of a one-to-one consultancy by a Mentor, in relation to the professional stages they want to develop. When they join, an admission card is filled with the service coordinators and all the information is handled with utmost discretion and only released to the assigned Mentor. As soon as an available and ideal Mentor is located, coordinators submit the name and curriculum of the proposed Mentor to the pupil, and every time an agreement for a “positive encounter” is reached, Mentor and pupil are introduced. The partnership will therefore agree about the method and frequency of their future contacts. Pupils are requested to strictly adhere to the timing and method of contact agreed upon with their Mentors, and periodically share their impressions and experience by submitting a written report, or an e-mail. If considered to be deserving such benefits, Pupils will further be eligible to participate in other Rotary initiatives like RYLA, Youth Exchange, Study Groups Exchange, scholarships, etc.

The Mentors: volunteer rotarians with adequate professional experience in any of the activity sectors selected, will be admitted to the Mentor Register. They will have to be willing to follow-up and counsel on one or more Pupils in the service area, training them about the “maps”, “routes” and “instruments” for orientation. This support will be strictly on a volunteer and free basis, and will have to follow rigorous deontological methods. The Rules of the service specifically prohibit any direct employment offer to the Pupil by the Mentor (part-time, practice, internship, etc), unless a particular dispensation is granted by the Control Committee, after evaluation of such a proposal submitted by Mentor and Pupil. Coordinators will be kept informed by Mentors about the developments of the service sending a “flight plan” data sheet. Active Mentors will have access to a password restricted data area allowing the sharing of their experiences and problems with other Mentors.

The Co-ordinators (“Control Tower”): create and administer Mentors and Pupils data bases; analyze demand and register Pupils in each e-group; select Mentor and Pupil partnerships; allow direct contact between Mentor and Pupil; follow-up each couple “in flight” ("equipage") and assist the groups; decide over the eventual dispensation for a Mentor’s direct job employment offer to a Pupil.

Control Committee: eventual controversy (“unfavorable weather conditions”) during service will be resolved by a Control Committee formed by rotarians of acknowledged experience and professional competence. If faced by serious transgressions to the Service Rules the Committee has the power to suspend and/or exclude Pupils and/or Mentors. Their decisions have no appeal.

The Rotary E-Mentoring