MENTori @IPL: a student program for students

The second edition of the MENTori@ Programme IPL, which aims to strengthen the strategies for integration and academic living in higher education, has started, this month, with the realization of two sessions aimed at mentors, in the days 8, Superior Institute of Engineering of Lisbon and 13, at Higher School of Social Communication, with a good membership by the students who have expressed interest in being mentors of the colleagues entering the school year 2022-23.

Rute Agostinho, pro-president of the IPL for School Succhool and Transversal Competencies has started each of the training sessions dedicated to the mentors, thanking the participants for the availability and interest in being part of the program of the Polytechnic of Lisbon. "It is not easy to enter a new, large institution and with many challenges ahead," acknowledged the program's coordinator.

In the first training session of this edition were received more than 90 entries, in the second action, more than 100, many of whom were mentored in 2021. Each session runs throughout one day, being the morning devoted to the presentations and reflection, in group, on the role of the mentor and the afternoon reserved for the parallel sessions, in which the mentors, work more concretely the realization of the program at each School, which goes through the constitution of a support network.

Jaden Gomes is a student of the 2 th year of the Visual Arts graduation and Technologies from the Superior School of Education in Lisbon. Participated in the 1 th edition of the MENTori @IPL Program as mentoring and this year wanted to join as a mentor. For this decision it weighed "the way my mentor supported and helped throughout the year was instrumental to the quick integration I had," the student mentions. The young highlight, still, as a factor that led him to sign up, "the willingness to help and have a positive impact on the school and the students who make it up and be a facilitator for the new students, but also learning from them new perspetives is what awaits this second edition of MENTori @IPL".

About the MENTori @IPL Program

The program of the Polytechnic of Lisbon is a initiative "from students to students, made by students, started at the institution, in 2021, whose central point is to establish relationships between mentors (more experienced) and mentoring (newcomers).

In the training sessions of 8 and September 13, Catarina Teixeira, psychologist of ISEL and one of the elements of the program team, explained to the participants how the relationship between mentor and mentoring will allow a new student to feel" welcomed and integrated and to end up after having their own network of relationships, at social and personal level. " The technique underscores the direct impact of the program on academic success and decrease in rates of retention and abandonment.

In addition to the advantages for new students, Catarina Teixeira highlights the opportunity, for mentors, to develop transversal competencies beyond those apprehended during the course, namely-what to do to manage a conflict, solve a problem and show empathy, in the face of situations that are going to be presented to them.

Being the pillar of MENTori @IPL a initial relationship between mentor and mentoring, it is not the ultimate goal, which passes, more, for the opportunity given by mentoring of establishing other relationships and starting to build up your own support network. "A sense of integration and reception does not depend on one single person," the psychologist says. "Knowing other people is key for the mentorands to make their own academic pathway", upfront. In short, the IPL programme aims to be a collaborative and entertaining network, in which the role of the mentor is also to pass on practical information.

Throughout each edition of the programme implemented in the Adherent Schools: Higher School of Social Communication, School of Dance, Lisbon Higher School of Education, Lisbon Higher School of Health Technology, Superior Institute of Accounting and Lisbon Administration, various activities and workshopsare organized, options and opportunities to develop new competencies throughout the year.