Activities

Activities form the basis for developing and maintaining a trusting and caring relationship between mentors and mentees. Regardless of the type of mentoring your program provides, it's important to sponsor a mix of group activities that support program goals and encourage interaction among all participants in addition to one-to-one activities. Group activities help to foster a sense of community for both mentors and mentees, providing informal support for the mentors and a strong support system for mentees. Here you will find links to online activities and games, as well as sample icebreakers and tools to assist mentors and mentees with goal setting and "getting to know" you activities.

Are Program Activities Important?

Activities form the basis for developing and maintaining a trusting and caring relationship between mentors and mentees. Successful mentoring programs:

Foster a sense of ownership and belonging among volunteers and participants. Be sure to get participants involved in planning program activities.
Sponsor a mix of group activities that support program goals and encourage interaction among all participants in addition to one-to-one activities.

Group activities help to foster a sense of community for both mentors and mentees, providing informal support for the mentors and a strong support system for mentees. Examples of group activities include: field trips, social get-togethers, community service projects, recreational/cultural events, awards and recognition events and skills-building workshops.

Although the final mix of activities will be decided in part by the mentors and participants, some activities should be built into the program design and are strongly encouraged.

(This section is excerpted from How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice, Section VI. How to Structure Effective Program Operations.)

Activities Resources

Additional information, resources and tools are available in the Find Resources section and in the How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice Tool Kit.