1. ‘The Personal Element’: How The
Villiers Park Scholars Programme
successfully blends face to face and
online mentoring.
Jeremy Reynolds and Jo Counsell
jr/jc@villierspark.org.uk
www.villierspark.org.uk
Registered Charity No. 225930
Brightside National Mentoring Conference
Wednesday 11 September 2013

2. A national charity that helps able
young people reach their full
academic potential and develop a
passion for learning. We are
committed to fair access – our
Scholars Programme sets out to
enable students from less
advantaged backgrounds gain a
place at a leading university or other
centre of excellence.

3. The Cambridge Centre

4. Helping young people with high potential to succeed regardless of their background

5. A programme to support able 14-19
students from less advantaged
backgrounds through partnership work
with schools, colleges, universities, other
third sector organisations, families and
the students themselves

6. The Scholars Programme addresses all factors
that might impede a student’s success
The Scholar
classroom
provision
virtual
outreach
real outreach

7. Real outreach
• Stepping Stones to Excellence key skills residential courses at
Villiers Park
• Masterclasses at local universities
• Local single day workshops to broaden interests eg
journalism, philosophy
• Subject specific residentials at Villiers Park in Year 12/13
Virtual outreach
• Dedicated Scholars Programme Online Hub with IAG
• 200 online extension activities covering 20 subjects
• E-mentoring with current undergraduates (subject and
interest match)

8. Classroom Provision
• Villiers Park Advisory Service team work in their schools and
colleges to develop the quality of everyday provision through
action research, CPD and provision of resources
Outside support
• Regular one-to-one and group meetings with a Learning
Mentor who also meets termly with a school liaison
• Developing and monitoring of a Stepping Stones to Excellence
Action Plan
Outside environment
• Workshops, helpline, consultancy, regular communication for
families

15. How does it all work?
Scholars
Villiers Park Central Team - oversee the whole project
Learning Mentors
– support Scholars
in school and
manage
ementoring
E-mentors
- Provide a role model
for Scholars, inspire and
inform about
university; give subject
specific information
Brightside –
run website
and support
the project

18. Top Tips for face-to-face mentoring
• Provide a safe reflective space
• Building rapport
• Active listening
• Flexibility
• Be prepared – a few favourite staples
• Sometimes - being is more important than
doing

19. Top Tips for E-mentoring
• Short simple questions initially to build
rapport
• Answering mentee’s questions
• Finding interesting and positive examples
• Keeping correspondence regular but not
overwhelming
• Awareness of important times e.g. exams
• Showing an interest (e.g. supplementary
questions)

21. I would absolutely be interested in being a
mentor again next year- I have found it to
be a wonderful experience so far and would
be very reluctant to give it up
It's worked well having people within the
schools to speak to the mentee's as well as
their online mentor- it's been a useful way
of making sure there's another line of
communication if they don't reply. To be
honest, I can't think of any particular way to
improve from this side of things- I think
everything is working really well :)
I have enjoyed the opportunity
to help people and offer advice.
Just to say that I've really
enjoyed being an ementor.
Having a few issues with
the students replying, but
other than that, it's really
enjoyable!
I would love to continue as an
ementor next year
I'd be willing to carry on
ementoring, I have really
enjoyed it this year.

22. all the best with the
programme: I believe what you
are doing is immensely noble
and necessary, however, it says
as much about our flawed
educational system, as it does
about your altruism.
I would be delighted to
continue.
allow me to extend my genuine
congratulations on establishing
such a successful and
commendable enterprise as this
ementoring programme
I am absolutely passionate
about all access schemes…
…I have come to see the
immense importance of
encouraging people from all
backgrounds to make the most
of their opportunities

23. “There's no way people would be
thinking you're too stupid, and I know
that for two reasons. Firstly, they
picked you to do this scheme because
you ARE bright, and secondly because
when you get an offer at university it
will be because they want you to
study there! Never think that you're
less good than anyone else :)”

24. Questions
• Mentoring and school life/ work
• Issues or problems & resolving them
• Development over the year – you and
mentoring
• Biggest help/ influence
• This coming year
• The practicalities of mentoring
• During the mentoring sessions…