Mentors’ experiences of a school-based mentoring programme in Hong Kong

ABSTRACT

School-based mentoring programmes in which teachers act as mentors have the potential to offer a non-stigmatizing and developmentally appropriate source of support for secondary school students. However, the experience of teacher-mentors is under-researched, particularly in Hong Kong. Fifteen mentors participating in a school-based mentoring programme in one Hong Kong secondary school serving a Chinese population were interviewed and the data were analysed thematically. Findings indicated that teacher-mentors provided social and emotional support to their mentees, and that they were motivated to do so by a desire for greater relatedness to the students with whom they worked. The relationship formed between mentors and mentees was more spontaneous, less hierarchical, more wide-ranging, and more personal in nature than that between teachers and students, and constituted a source of satisfaction for mentors. The study has several implications for schools which may be considering implementing a mentoring programme.

KEYWORDS:

• Mentoring
• Mentors
• Secondary school
• Hong Kong

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mark Gregory Harrison

Mark Gregory Harrison is a lecturer in the Department of International Education at the Education University of Hong Kong. He previously worked in secondary schools in Hong Kong for and held several positions of senior leadership. His research interests are in school-based counselling, mentoring programmes and positive psychology in education.

Lianne Lim

Lianne Lim is a school counsellor who has worked in Hong Kong schools for several years.