INTERNATIONAL STUDENT MENTORING PROGRAM HANDBOOK 2019 THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL UNIVERSITY LAW STUDENTS’ SOCIETY
1
CONTENTS Welcome Equity Vice-President’s Welcome
3
International Student Director’s Welcome
4
Introduction About the Program
5
What is Mentoring?
5
Benefits of Mentoring
5
Roles and Responsibilities
6
Participants’ Eligibility
7
Recruitment Process
7
Code of Conduct
8
Activities One-On-One
9
Suggested Framework
9
Suggested Methods of Engagement
11
Guidelines for Closure
12
Beyond the Program Feedback
13
What People Have Said
13
Acknowledgements
14
Program Coordinators
14
Appendix A Weekly Themes
2
15 - 16
EQUITY VICE-PRESIDENT’S WELCOME My name is Priya Mittal and I am the Equity Vice-President for the Australian National University Law Students’ Society (ANU LSS).
Priya Mittal
On behalf of the ANU LSS, I would like to warmly welcome you to the International Student Mentoring Program in 2019. I hope you will enjoy this experience and gain and learn as much as we have endeavored. This program is one where you have the opportunity to gain practical advice about your time in law school as well as learn key techniques for balancing life atuniversity. We hope you will develop strategies for handling both personal and academicissues and also have the opportunity to network with other students.
Equity Vice-President ANU Law Student’s Society lssequity@anu.edu.au
If there are any concerns, or suggestions for ways to improve the Equity experience (including the inclusivity, diversity and wellbeing) at the ANU College of Law, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the previous contributors to this handbook and the time and efforts they have put into establishing this program. Without these individuals, the International Student Program would not exist. And I would also like to thank and acknowledge Herbert Smith Freehills for their ongoing support and generosity in sponsoring this program. It is through such support, that we are able to grow and further the International Student Mentoring experience.
3
INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS DIRECTOR’S WELCOME My name is Daniel Kang and I am the International Students Director for the Australian National University Law Students’ Society (ANU LSS). On behalf of the ANU LSS, thank you for choosing to participate in the 2019 International Student Mentoring Program, sponsored by Herbert Smith Freehills. We hope that this experience will be rewarding for both mentors and mentees. Through the International Student Mentoring Program, the LSS aims to assist international students in making a successful transition into law school and for mentors to develop valuable leadership skills and to enhance personal growth through mentoring. We understand that not all international students have access to or are aware of the resources available at the ANU and the ANU College of Law. The LSS seeks to fill this gap by offering support within a personal capacity. With that in mind, I hope that this Handbook will provide you with the resources you need to make the most of the program and hopefully build a long-lasting relationship with your mentee/mentor. In creating this Handbook, I would like to sincerely thank the former International Students Director, Tiffany Monorom for the immense work she has put into launching the program, as well as Herbert Smith Freehills for sponsoring the program. As this is our second year running the program, the LSS encourages you to share your thoughts and experiences with us in order to help improve and shape how the program’s subsequent iterations. 4
In conclusion, I would like to present the 2019 International Student Mentoring Program Handbook and feel free to contact me should you have any questions. Daniel Kang
International Students Director ANU Law Student’s Society lssinternational@anu.edu.au
INTRODUCTION ABOUT THE PROGRAM The International Student Mentoring Program is a program designed to assist international students for better transition into law school. Mentors are students who have successfully adjusted to law school and can give mentees advice on studying law at the ANU. We understand that moving to a new country is a challenging experience for most international students and it may take them some time to adjust to Australia’s cultural, social and academic differences. Pairing mentors and mentees effectively is a key aspect of a successful mentoring program, which is why participants will be hand-selected as according to their preferences. We will not pair a mentee with a mentor where their goals and expectations of the program do not align. Mentors and mentees are matched on a one-onone basis and we advise that both participants commit to the same mentor or mentee for the entire semester. This encourages them to develop a mentoring relationship on a personal level and establishes a foundation where assistance is available when needed.
WHAT IS MENTORING? According to the National Mentoring Association of Australia, mentoring is “a mutually beneficial relationship which involves a more experienced person helping a less experienced person to achieve their goals”.
However, we believe there is much more to the mentoring relationship. It is one based upon mutual trust and respect, open-mindedness, encouragement, constructive feedback and a willingness to learn and share. As such, the LSS expects all participants to get into the spirit of mentoring, that is making a genuine effort to engage with your partner.
BENEFITS OF MENTORING Participating in a mentoring program is mutually beneficial for both mentors and mentees: Mentors: • Develop leadership and management skills; • Strengthens your own skills and knowledge of the subject matter • Improve communication and personal skills; • Gain valued volunteering opportunity; and • Enhance your resume • Increase personal growth and a sense of fulfil ment Mentees: • Gain practical advice, support and encourage ment; • Learn from other people’s experiences; Develop your social, academic and personal skills; • Set realistic goals and establish a sense of direction; • Become more confident and motivated; • Make new friends across year levels
5
ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Mentors The mentor’s role is to listen deeply, share their experience, ask difficult questions, encourage the mentee to clarify themselves, and affirm the mentee. Listen: Listen attentively and provide constructive feedback. Share: Share your own life experiences that are most relevant to the mentee’s situation. Challenge: Ask thought provoking questions, aiming toward the mentee’s ambitions. Clarify: Encourage the mentee to be clear about decisions, goals and philosophy. Affirm: Value and endorse the mentee.
6
Mentees To make the most of the mentorship, mentees should take appropriate responsibility to speak up if there is an issue, and to be open to change and challenges. This can be done through mutual respect and self-reflection, signifying the ability to set goals and take actions. Take responsibility: Speak up if there is an issue, aiming for a successful mentorship. Be open: Be open to change, challenges, opinions, and ideas. Reflect: Regularly reflect on what you have learnt and what you want to inquire next. Respect: Respect the experience, views and insights of the mentors. Set goals: Identify short-term and long-term goals. Act: Take actions on set goals. Mentors come from a variety of backgrounds, but their character and ethical values are shared by all. These shared values are important in promoting achievement and inspiring
PARTICIPANT’S ELIGIBILITY Mentors
Mentors will ideally have experience in mentoring but is not a necessary requirement to become a mentor in this program. Most importantly, mentors have the desire to help others and it is this willingness to help others that outweighs any academic credentials or motivation for profit.
Leading by example is a great opportunity to become a positive influence. Sharing positive and negative life experiences with mentees is helpful and easier for them to grasp the principles that mentors believe in.
However, it is required that mentors are at least in their second year of their law degree before undertaking their position in the program. Mentors come from a variety of backgrounds, but their character and ethical values are shared by all. These shared values are important in promoting achievement and inspiring positive attitudes among all law students.
RECRUITMENT PROCESS The LSS recruits mentors and mentees at the beginning of semester 1 and semester 2. You may choose to be involved in the program again in semester 2 with the same mentor/mentee from semester 1 if you notify the program coordinator prior to the semester 2 recruitment date. You may also choose to terminate your involvement with the program at the end of each semester.
Mentees Mentees are international students who find difficulties adjusting to the cultural, social and academic aspects of living in Australia. Mentees actively seek guidance and support from their mentors and do so in a respectful and professional manner.
The application form will be posted on the LSS’s Facebook Page and website. Note that there will be separate application forms for mentors and mentees.
Mentees are eager to learn and willing to work with their mentors to set up goals in order to achieve their desired result through the mentoring program.
7
CODE OF CONDUCT Like any professional and academic environment, mentors and mentees are to act ethically and respectfully toward one another. Discussions are confidential and we expect participants to behave appropriately at all times. Inappropriate conduct such as harassment or discrimination is strictly prohibited. Such behaviours will result in suspension from the program and may be the subject of complaint to the relevant regulatory body. The Australian National University’s Code of Conduct and related policies can be found online through this link: https://services.anu.edu.au/ human- resources/respect-inclusion/code-ofconduct
8
ACTIVITIES ONE-ON-ONE A positive relationship between mentor and mentee is essential to the success of a mentoring program and for mentees to have genuine support at the start of their university career. The best way for mentors and mentees to develop such a meaningful relationship in the International Student Mentoring Program is through one-onone contact. It is for this reason that the program will regularly run on a one mentor to one mentee basis from week to week. It is understandable that people have different commitments and separate daily schedules, so it is only required that you have one meeting per week for at least 30 minutes. Meetings are what you make of them. It will be up to the mentor and mentee to decide the best method to engage in the program. See some of our suggested methods on page 10. We cannot stress enough the importance of genuine, faceto-face contact and we hope that our suggested framework outlines how this is best established. SUGGESTED FRAMEWORK The following is only a suggested framework for participants to follow throughout the mentoring program. You may choose to follow the framework or create your own mentoring framework. Stage 1: Discussing Expectations and Goals Mentors and mentees should discuss their expectations and goals in their first meeting in order to establish the foundations of the mentorship. The program coordinator will provide mentors and mentees with contact details so you can arrange your first meeting, which commences in week 3. We strongly advise that the first meeting is organised upon the completion of the
Induction Module. It is up to both participants as to the method by which you can maintain contact such as via email, text messages or Facebook. It can be quite daunting for both the mentor and mentee to arrange their first meeting. Therefore, we advise that you start off with a casual meetup— a coffee or a meal at the pop-up village, for example. Once you have decided on a meeting time and place, the most important thing for establishing a fun and supportive relationship between mentor and mentee is getting to know each other first. If you find yourself in an awkward situation, talk about why you are interested in the mentoring program and what you want out of the program or any similar struggles that you have had as a university student. Once you feel more at ease with each other, you may begin to establish your expectations and goals in the program to ensure a successful mentorship in the long run. It is understandable that both participants will inevitably have different commitments so the best way would be to determine how, where and when meetings will take place in future weeks. One idea would be to make a schedule outlining your plan for the rest of the semester, keeping in mind when (if at all) you will be travelling outside Canberra and working your meetings around these dates. If either mentor or mentee is unavailable for one week during the program, arrange a Skype, FaceTime or phone call at some point. Stage 2: Establishing the Relationship Subsequent meetings should be focusing on mentees addressing their issues and mentors providing advice and encouragements. See Appendix A for weekly themes on page 14 that is relevant to international students (that may or may not be specifically relevant to law students). 9
For mentees, try to think about how the theme relates to your experience at university and
Others: Have there been any disputes worth mentioning?
your goals and aspirations in Australia. If you are unsure about anything or you have questions, ask your mentor - they will either be able to help you directly or refer you to someone who can. For mentors, do the same, but think of advice that you might give to your mentee - is there something you would’ve done differently had you the chance? What would you like to have known about the topic when you were in your mentee’s position? If you find that neither participant has a lot to say regarding the theme and that the mentee does not have any general queries, try to find a common interest to have a chat about - sports, food, gaming etc. Even if mentees do not need any advice and mentors have limited advice to give, it is important to keep maintaining the relationship as you only meet once a week.
Any information shared with the program coordinator will be strictly confidential and we advise that you remain as honest as possible when discussing your relationship with your mentor/ mentee.
Stage 4: Wrapping up By the end of the semester, you will hopefully have established a friendship that may last throughout the rest of your university days and we hope that this ‘final meeting’ is not actually your last. However, it is still very important that you conclude the program well and to do this, we advise arranging a special occasion for your last meeting together. If you have been having coffee together regularly, perhaps this can be a more adventurous meeting Stage 3: Examining the Progress - a bush walk or a jog together, for instance. If you are both avid sports fans, maybe consider In week 7, the program coordinator will be in attending a game together. If you have been touch with all participants about any progress adventurous throughout the program and hiked made in the program and whether there were any up every mountain in Canberra and ran around issues experienced by either mentor or mentee. the lake a thousand times, maybe pick something more relaxed and settled. There is no obligation The following are some issues to think about prior to arrange a special occasion like this, but we to getting contacted by the program coordinator: strongly recommend doing so. Regularity of meetings: Are you both attending and organising meetings? Addressing themes: Are you both referring to weekly themes and discussing them? General conversation: Did you experience any awkward silence and blanks during meetings? General meetings: Are you enjoying yourself at meetings? Are you comfortable? Are you dissatisfied with your mentor/mentee in any capacity?
SUGGESTED METHOD OF ENGAGEMENT It is up to both participants to organise a method of engagement to keep the program interesting. Our suggested methods below are a good starting point. Classic Meeting each other for a coffee, brunch or any meal at the pop-up village would be the easiest and most ideal way for those who are on tight schedules at university. Although it may be easy, this doesn’t mean you can’t get a lot out of it some of the best conversation happens over a good coffee. Another idea to consider is maybe to organise a new place to go each week and judge which cafe has the best coffee. Feeling adventurous If you enjoy a more outdoor scene, bush walking might be an idea to consider. There are many places in the surrounds of Canberra where you can hike or walk through the bush. One of the best locations is Black Mountain – it is located close to ANU and it is a rewarding challenge if you want to hike to the lookout. Any of the other ‘mountains’ in Canberra - Mt Ainslie, Red Hill, Mt Stromlo - are also great options for a challenging hike. Make sure you pack sufficient water and food and also conduct a bit of research about the trails first before you head off for a hike. Seg Glide Ride in Parkes (suburb in inner south) offers segways for hire around the lake. This is more likely to be a one-off meeting as it costs around $40 for a half an hour trip ($60 for full hour), but it’s definitely worth the cost!
or the outdoors, or anyone that needs a quick break from campus. It is free to enter and stays open from 8:30AM to 5PM daily. There is also a cafe open from 9AM-3PM every day if you feel like a coffee or quick bite to eat. Sporty If you feel like sweating off some stress from university, a quick sport game or exercise may be a great way to start. We suggest running or cycling around the lake, using ANU gym for basketball, weights, futsal or badminton or using ANU ovals for ball sports or Frisbee. Volunteer Volunteer together for a great cause— either working at the animal shelter or advocating for human rights or helping with recreational activities at a local hospital. Contact ANU+, ANU Volunteering Society or Volunteering ACT for available opportunities. Attend LSS’s Events While it is important to try all the above so you and your partner can gain better interaction and increase effective communication with each other, it can get quite repetitive. As such, the LSS has arranged a variety of social events, speaker panels and other form of engagements throughout the year. Attending these events together is not only entertaining but also academically beneficial for the both of you.
Located right next to ANU, the Botanic gardens is a perfect spot suitable for anyone who loves flora
11
GUIDELINES FOR CLOSURE It is understandable that a mentor or mentee may require that the mentorship end before the end of the program. However, the following guidelines will be strictly followed: Either party may close the mentorship at any point during the program, if: • ●program coordinators are notified of closure 48 hours before next scheduled meeting.
12
In the case of non-mutual early closure: • ●the closing party may request the program coordinator to inform their mentor or mentee, or they may inform their mentor or mentee themselves. • ●a mentor or mentee may elect to stay in the program if their partner closes the mentorship early, if: • ○both parties of another mentorship allow that mentor or mentee to join them, or; • ○another mentor or mentee is available on the program wait list, (in the case of multiple possible mentors or mentees, they will be selected according to the criteria used at the beginning of the program).
BEYOND THE PROGRAM FEEDBACK Running this program for the second time means that there is still room for improvement and so we welcome feedback from both mentors and mentees regarding the program. We want to know what worked and what can be improved in order to help shape how the program will run in the future. The LSS will issue a comprehensive feedback to mentors and mentees upon completion of the program.
WHAT PEOPLE HAVE SAID “I loved the program. It was more than meaningful to be a mentor and I’d love to do it again next year.” - Emma Jang (final year Laws/Arts mentor) “The experience of the program was very rewarding. The program was well-organised, provided a new opportunity to form a relationship between mentor and mentee, and my mentee and I were very well-matched by program coordinators. I would be very interested in continuing in the program.” - Madelyn Attwood (3rd year Laws/ International Relations mentor)
“I really enjoyed the LSS Mentoring Program because of all the really reassuring advice and stories from my wonderful mentor Emma. Coming from overseas to do Law, I had a lot of worries and concerns that nobody could answer. But getting to talk to Emma, an international law student about to finish her degree, really helped reassure me and answer my questions. Now I am much more confident in my future with the law degree and what I can do with it” - Siang Jin Law (2nd year Laws/PPE mentee)
“Highly recommend it! You’ll meet very friendly mentors here. A good opportunity to make friends and seek some helpful guidance on your first year of study” - Noah Dai (Exchange student from Beijing)
13
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
PROGRAM COORDINATORS
The LSS would like to extend our gratitude to the mentors for contributing to the program by offering your time and effort to help international students to make a successful transition to law school. We hope that you find the mentoring program a valuable experience and that students who benefit from the mentoring program will consider returning to the program to mentor others.
Daniel Kang LSS International Students Director The Australian National University lssinternational@anu.edu.au
14
Priya Mittal LSS Equity VP The Australian National University lssequity@anu.edu.au
APPENDIX A Please note that the following topics are suggestions only. You need not follow them in any particular order. You might not even use any or all of the topics but if you do, be mindful of any academic integrity issues. For mentors, avoid supplying mentees with any past written essays or direct exam responses. You may, however go through any specific problem questions with mentees or explain essay questions in simpler words. You can read more about academic misconduct and related policies here: https://law.anu.edu.au/current-students/policies-procedures/academic-integrity-misconduct
Main Theme: Academic Help
Main Theme: Career Development
15
Main Theme: Mental Health and Illness
Main Theme: Miscellaneous
16