Highlights from Our First Mentorship Training by George A.

Setting the scene

On Saturday 28th September 2024, I had the pleasure of attending mentor training alongside fellow volunteers as we took another step towards preparing ourselves to fulfil the Foundation’s mission of inspiring the younger generation in honour of Aaron Opoku’s lasting legacy. The training session was wonderfully organised by Aaron’s parents and sibling, and ran by the inspirational Sheridan Mangal. Sheridan has over 40 years’ experience of mentoring and supporting young adults to turn their lives around and achieve their potential. He was a great source of guidance and insight to many of whom were taking on this mentoring role for the first time.

What we learned

Over the course of the training session, we were taken through what it means to be a ‘mentor’, the relationship dynamic between mentor and mentee, the mentorship process and lifecycle, respecting boundaries, measuring success, and legal obligations. It was a comprehensive A to Z of mentorship, but what I really valued about the training session was Sheridan's openness and honesty about the mentorship journey. Yes, being a mentor can be incredibly rewarding but it is also a role that comes with responsibility, commitment, and resilience. 

Putting this into practice

We also had the opportunity to put our learning into practice through some fun and insightful exercises. In one, we got to learn about our fellow volunteers at a personal level – their favourite places to visit, favourite shows, and pet peeves etc, (hint: If you’re on a flight with me, don’t decide to go to the toilet just as the cabin crew announces that the plane is preparing to land!). However, it was also a useful lesson in the importance of actively listening to mentees to establish rapport and connection that is fundamental to any productive relationship. In a second activity we practised role-playing and putting ourselves in the shoes of those who we might try to reach through mentorship. There were certainly some award-winning acting performances on display (especially Andrew as a surly teenager!), but more importantly it highlighted the often difficult, complicated, and demoralising situations that mentees face, and why it’s important to recognise and be prepared for this as a mentor.

Looking to the future

Overall, it was a great and educational day – a training session from which I left feeling wiser and more informed about the mentorship journey ahead. It was also a wonderful opportunity to meet and connect with amazing other Foundation volunteers – each bringing their own unique experiences and skills but brought together and united by Aaron Opoku Foundation’s mission to help inspire younger generations. My eyes are open to the road ahead but I feel more committed to mentor young adults with their career and life journey than ever before. As Sheridan put it so well, as a group of mentors, “we’ve learned, earned, and are now looking to return”.