C2S4: What to Discuss

We often describe the mentoring process as an “extended interview” where the Employment Partner AND their Mentee are evaluating each other to see if they’d be a good fit for employment. Ideally, this process takes about 12 months, but can be done in as little as 12 weeks. How often you choose to communicate with your Mentee and what you cover with them is ultimately up to you.

Mentorship Plan

To get you started, here is a sample Mentorship Plan that you can work from and alter to best fit your business’ needs and specific timeline.

 
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Important Introductions

Upon starting communication with your Mentee, be sure to not dismiss the importance of spending dedicated and intentional time getting to know one another. Getting to know who your Mentee is, who they’ve been, and who they want to be is a great way of making “relational deposits” and developing trust. In fact, if done well, it will make the whole mentorship process more enjoyable and yield better results down the road in employment. Also, don’t worry if your TRP Fellow seems a bit guarded at first. Just like you, this is a new experience for them and they may be nervous.


What If Something Inappropriate Happens?

In the unlikely event that your Mentee would ask or doing something inappropriate (e.g. ask for money, ask for you to contact someone on their behalf, anything sexual/unethical/illegal), please let us know about it immediately. Even if you’re unsure about the severity, when in doubt, contact us.

We take all incidents seriously and will make sure they are addressed quickly and effectively. Our TRP Fellows are explicitly told that certain behaviors are unacceptable, will jeopardize their future, and may result in their expulsion from The Redemption Project.


What’s Too Personal?

While communicating with your Mentee, you never have to feel obligated to disclose more information about yourself than you’d like. Our TRP Fellows are advised to be mindful about asking questions that are “too personal”. We ask that our Employment Partners show them the same respect. That said, it is okay to ask your TRP Fellow things about their life in prison, their past, or even their criminal history. Just remember to use good judgement, avoid unfair or discriminatory stereotypes, and any questions that would be considered inappropriate or illegal in a traditional interview process.

Forming a healthy relationship takes time and effort and our mentoring process is no different. We’re excited for you and your Mentee to experience this worthwhile journey together.


Chapter TwoEthan Cook