Why attend mentoring training?

This 6 hour course on the development of mentoring skills is relevant to anyone whose role encompasses mentoring whether formally or informally. Mentoring skills have become a key tool for managers and local authority officers who aim to support early years and play settings to improve their practice through reflection, learning and action. Mentoring is now an aspect of support for those undertaking the Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) or National Professional Qualification in Centre Leadership (NPQICL) and National Professional Qualification in Headship (NPQH). There are also an increasing number of university diploma courses considering mentoring theory.

Who should attend?

This training is specifically geared towards those working in the Early Years and Play sector. It is relevant to local authority staff working within children’s services and play work, and is also of interest to voluntary sector staff.

Programme for the day:

9.00 Registration and refreshments

9.30 Introduction to training day: Expectations and Course background

10.00 What is mentoring
10.20 Experiences of Mentoring

10.30 The stages of Mentoring

11.00 Break

11.15 Mentoring Skills

11.45 Mentoring in Practice

12.30 Lunch

1.15 Listening Skills

1.45 Mentoring Scenarios

2.30 Giving Feedback

3.15 Action Planning

3.45 Evaluation

4.00 Close

Course objectives

By the end of the day participants will have:

• Explored the role of the mentor in the Early Years and Play sectors
• Explored the values and principles underpinning the mentor role, identified links with the EYFS and the implications for improving Early Years and Play practice
• Identified the skills involved in mentoring and made the link to skills used in other roles
• Examined the theory underpinning mentoring and considered implications for their own practice
• Practised key skills needed in the mentor role
• Identified some of the problems that mentors face and learned about a range of tools and solutions to tackle them
• Created an action plan to take the learning forward

Learning outcomes

By the end of the day participants will be able to:

• Describe the role of a mentor and the links to other roles undertaken
• Describe the key elements of underpinning theory
• Identify key values and principles involved in effective mentoring and the link to Early Years and Play principles and practice
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between mentoring theory with personal experience and practice
• Identify their own strengths and areas for development in mentoring skills
• Identify some of the main problems that mentors face and describe some of the solutions
• Use a range of tools to deal with common problems that arise
  

Travel information

Please see the NCVO website for maps and detailed information how to travel to the venue.

Cancellation

All cancellations must be received in writing. In the event of a cancellation, a full refund will be given for over one month's notice, a 50% refund for 1 month to 14 days notice and no refund for less than 14 days notice. Substitutions may be made at any time.

The course tutor

Debbie Garvey is an independent trainer and consultant on early years, childcare and playwork, and is based in Leeds.

Please find further information about NCB training and the NCB Early Childhood Unit

The National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Regent's Wharf
8 All Saints Street
N1 9RL Islington
United Kingdom

Friday, March 19, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (GMT)

NCB

National Children's Bureau (NCB) is a charitable organisation that acts as an umbrella body for organisations working with children and young people in England & Northern Ireland.