ST1379 Level 4 Learning and Skills Mentor Standard V1.1

This occupation is found in the public, private and voluntary sectors in national and multinational organisations. The role of the learning and skills mentor can be found in all sectors where training and development is required. For example, but not limited to, healthcare, military, manufacturing, production, business and professional, education, leisure, construction, creative, technology.

The purpose of the learning and skills mentor occupation is to support individuals and groups with their learning and development towards agreed goals. They will do this by working within ethical and legal frameworks to ensure a high standard of mentoring practice. They will work collaboratively with stakeholders to inclusively meet the individual needs of the mentee. They will be committed to their own professional development and reflective practice as a mentor and within their sector.

They will typically work in an environment in their organisation where they are the knowledgeable other. They will work in a variety of locations and environments where mentoring activity may be undertaken face to face or remotely.

In their daily work, an employee in this occupation may interact with other professionals at any level of seniority in the organisation and the sector, such as: supervisors, managers, trainees, other experienced practitioners and where necessary, internal/external professionals to support meeting the individual mentee needs.

The learning and skills mentor will be responsible for the mentor relationship with the mentee working within ethical and legal frameworks and organisational boundaries to support the progression of the mentee. They may work with a wide range of stakeholders to support the progression of the mentee and ensure best practice is developed and maintained. The mentor may be responsible for completing their own work to specification, with minimal supervision, ensuring they meet set deadlines.

Typical Job Titles include:

• Academic Mentor
• Learning Mentor
• Occupational Mentor
• Technical Mentor
• Training Mentor
• Tutor
• Vocational Mentor

Duty 1 Plan, conduct and record mentoring activities to support the progression of the mentee working within legal and ethical frameworks, including confidentiality and safeguarding.

• K1 K2 K3 K4 K5 K16
• S2 S3 S4 S5
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 2 Use strategies to establish and maintain expectations and boundaries of mentoring contract, including recognising starting points of mentee, agreed development needs, potential barriers to development and where relevant, other stakeholders needs.

• K1 K2 K4 K5 K6 K7 K16
• S2 S4 S5 S6 S7
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 3 Select and use mentoring models, tools and techniques to support mentee to make desired changes, demonstrating responsiveness to the individual mentee needs.

• K1 K3 K7 K8 K9 K16
• S1 S3 S4 S7 S9 S10
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 4 Demonstrate awareness of own values, beliefs and behaviours and their effect on the mentor/mentee relationship.

• K1 K8 K10
• S8
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 5 Provide support to the mentee providing information, advice and guidance, working within own professional boundaries and recognising requirements for referral to other professional services where required.

• K1 K9 K11
• S11
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 6 Establish rigorous evaluation processes with mentee to support reflection on effectiveness of mentoring relationship.

• K1 K3 K9 K12 K16
• S9 S10 S12
• B1 B2 B3 B4

Duty 7 Evaluate and reflect on effectiveness of own practice for the purpose of self-development.

• K1 K3 K12 K15
• S13
• B1 B2 B3 B5

Duty 8 Make sustainably informed decisions in approaches used to plan, conduct, record and evaluate mentoring practice.

• K1 K13
• S1
• B1 B2 B3 B5

Duty 9 Maintain records of mentoring practice and recording of continual professional development activities.

• K1 K5 K14
• S1 S5 S14
• B1 B2 B3 B5

K1: The roles and responsibilities of a mentor, understanding the organisational and professional boundaries, legal and ethical requirements, including safeguarding

K2: How to establish and manage a mentoring contract

K3: How to plan for mentoring sessions and review and revise action plans

K4: Mentoring theory and models, including maintaining good practice and protocols within the mentoring relationship

K5: Organisational and legal requirements for recording, storing and sharing personal information

K6: Strategies to assess starting points of the mentee, including potential barriers to development

K7: Methods of communication to maintain the mentoring relationship and review progress towards agreed outcomes

K8: Questioning and listening techniques

K9: Methods for providing feedback to inform progression

K10: The impact of their own values, beliefs and behaviours on mentoring practice

K11: How to provide accurate and relevant vocational/pastoral advice and guidance to meet mentee needs, including points of referral to other professional services

K12: Theories and models of evaluation and reflection

K13: Approaches to sustainable mentoring practice

K14: Opportunities for continuing professional development

K15: The role of supervision in supporting the mentor

K16: Evidence-based practice informed by own research

S1: Conduct sustainable mentoring practice within organisational and professional boundaries, and legal and ethical requirements, including safeguarding

S2: Establish and maintain mentoring contracts with mentees and where relevant, other stakeholders

S3: Conduct mentoring sessions according to agreed plans

S4: Implement established mentoring tools and techniques to help the mentee work towards agreed outcomes

S5: Maintain records of mentoring practice, complying with quality, confidentiality and data protection requirements

S6: Establish and use assessed starting points to establish agreed outcomes of the mentoring process

S7: Assess and review progress and achievement of agreed outcomes and revise action plans as appropriate

S8: Maintain mentoring relationship through a non-judgemental and objective approach

S9: Use questioning techniques to encourage reflection and progression

S10: Provide feedback to the mentee to inform progression

S11: Inform, advise and guide the mentee to support development toward agreed outcomes

S12: Apply theories and models of evaluation and reflection to support mentee development

S13: Monitor and reflect on own mentoring practice, including feedback from supervision, to develop self

S14: Apply evidence based mentoring practice informed by own research

B1: Demonstrate and promote sustainable practices with mentee

B2: Work to ethical and legal standards within professional boundaries

B3: Be resilient and adaptable when dealing with challenge and change, maintaining focus and self-control

B4: Demonstrate and encourage mutual respect, displaying a deep understanding of equality and diversity, with and between learners, colleagues and appropriate agencies

B5: Committed to improving their own professional practice in relation to mentoring

English and Maths

Apprentices without level 2 English and maths will need to achieve this level prior to taking the End-Point Assessment. For those with an education, health and care plan or a legacy statement, the apprenticeship’s English and maths minimum requirement is Entry Level 3. A British Sign Language (BSL) qualification is an alternative to the English qualification for those whose primary language is BSL.