Mougins British International school runs a program that allows students to create bonds across ages and fosters a deeper connection within our community. This program is our Mougins Mentee Mates program, through which students in sixth form are paired with a student in any of the younger years. This year we saw 23 pairs of students elect to take part in the program to allow younger students to find guidance in a trustworthy peer and older students can have the opportunity to practice their initiative and listening skills while learning just as much from their mentees. The community atmosphere of Mougins school can truly be seen through the bonds established across ages. Leila, a year 12 mentor sees this through the “abundance of primary students that interact with 6th formers during frees and thrive programs and form close bonds are a testament to community beyond age and that that form of connection across schools is valued and enriching on both ends”

In speaking with some of our mentors many of them shared just how much this programme has opened their eyes to the small impact that can be made by simply providing a listening ear and friendly face. Lana, one of our year 13s shared that she chose to be a mentor “because knowledge is meant to be shared, not stored. There’s something incredibly rewarding about taking complex ideas and breaking them down so someone else can have that "aha!" moment.”  Through Lana we can see just how mentoring establishes a sense of purpose and grows confidence in the mentors. Every mentor that we spoke to, constantly shares how unparalleled the chance to watch an individual adapt and flourish is. That is because in building another student's confidence the mentors themselves gain confidence in their abilities to help others and make a positive impact.

While the ability to teach younger students is always gratifying, much can be said in all that the younger students are able to teach their own mentors. I, myself, am a mentor and have found that in creating a relationship with my mentee, she has taught me the importance of being authentic. When first starting out sometimes things felt awkward but as our weekly meetings progressed my mentee showed me how simply choosing to be comfortable and genuine provokes others to follow your lead and allows a more genuine bond to grow. 

While some mentoring programs like these are often associated with very young students, there can be much emphasis placed on the importance of guidance based relationships in the crucial stage of adolescence. On top of school pressures, friendship and isolation can be hard to manage as a teenager which makes it all the more helpful to find guidance in someone who can relate to them better, someone who was in the same place more recently than a parent or teacher. Poppy is a slightly older mentee, she elected to seek guidance from an older student.  At first she still felt nervous, sharing how intimidating year 13s can be from afar. Now Poppy shares that the best parts of being a mentee is “Feeling supported and befriending someone outside of your year group”. 

Our younger mentees as well have greatly enjoyed the program. Anna and Lana said that their mentees love being able to play games such as duck, duck, goose during their breaktime meetings. Upon hearing about the mentoring program, some might imagine something more formal, where mentees are expected to share their worries and feelings. However, in reality most of the mentor and mentee relationships simply provide another friend to share fond memories with. Our mentoring program runs every year and gives many students that extra support they might need, whether that is a listening ear for more troubling issues or simply someone to play games with. 
 

Gisele E.
Sixth Form Student