Mentor Programmes
This is a programme where Form 6 students are paired with SPCC alumni to develop one-on-one "counsellor and friend" relationships. Through this process, we hope to help students broaden their perspectives, develop their potentials and achieve their academic and career aspirations as they prepare for life beyond St. Paul's.
Introduced in 2001, the Programme has an annual intake of 80-100 Form 6 students as mentees and has built up a resource pool of over 100 alumni mentors whose backgrounds and experiences span a broad range of business, professional, academic and government fields. As an integral part of the Programme, group activities are regularly organised for participation by the mentees. Participation in the Programme is voluntary.
How the Programme Works
- Before the end of the school year, an introductory briefing will be hosted by the Chairman of the Programme Management Committee for all Form 5 students
- In September, students in Form 6 submit applications to join the Programme as mentees
- Each mentee is paired with a mentor based on his/her academic and career preferences
- In October, the Programme commences with the mentees initiating contact with the mentors
- Mentors and mentees are encouraged to meet at least twice during an academic year in addition to communicating and interacting through other channels
- Mentees participate in the Programme's group activities such as Career Day, Interview Workshop and so on which help prepare them for university
- Mentees who maintain satisfactory participation in the Programme as judged by the Programme Management Committee will be issued a Completion Certificate as recognition
Our Mentors - a Rich Pool of Resource
Our pool of over 100 mentors include business executives and entrepreneurs, seasoned professionals, established academics and government officials, and we are targeting younger alumni at earlier stages of their careers to join the pool. Their life experiences and their readiness to support their younger counterparts in St. Paul's provide a valuable resource for the personal development of the mentees.
An approximate percentage breakdown of our mentors by background / sector is as follows:
*Others include Education, Counselling, Civil Service
Group Activities in 2009-2010 Academic Year
| 16 October 2009 | Welcome/Etiquette DinnerHeld at No. 2 MacDonnell Road |
|---|---|
| 14 November | Career Day at SPCCAlumni/speakers from different career fields to host a number of modules including medical, law, accounting, architecture and design, banking and business. All mentees are invited to participate on experience sharing and Q/As. |
| January/February 2010 | Interview Workshops at SPCCPresentation on interviewing skills and role play with participation from past mentees |
| March/April 2010 | Firms Visits |
| 25 June 2010 | Closing Ceremonyvenue/key note speaker to be decided |
The Programme Management Committee
Accountable to the School Council and with Dr Anissa Chan as Adviser, the Programme Management Committee plans and manages the operation of the Programme. Annual activities include recruitment of new mentors and mentees, organising activities, monitoring programme effectiveness and enhancing the services of the Programme to best address the ever-changing needs of the mentees. Committee members are all SPCC alumni and serve three-year terms.
The 2009-10 Committee
| Adviser | Dr Anissa Chan |
| Liaison Teacher | Ms Judy Sum |
| Chairman | Ms Samantha Suen |
| Members | Dr Philip Leong (immediate past Chairman) |
| Mr Simon Kwang | |
| Ms Phyllis Lau | |
| Mr William Lau | |
| Mrs Vivien Lowe | |
| Ms Renee So | |
| Mr Alan Tung | |
| Ms Heidi Yang | |
| Mrs Winnie Wong | |
| Secretary | Ms Emily Tong |
Message from the Chairman
As the newly elected Chairman of the Mentor Programme, I extend a warm welcome and greetings to my fellow mentors, past and present mentees and our alumnus. I am honored to be the new Chairman tasked to lead and continue the fine traditions of this programme, which is now in the ninth year since its inception. I would like to thank a number of our past committee members which has given us their support and dedications and a warm welcome to our newly elected committee. We look forward to your participations and contributions to the new term ahead.
For the 09/10 school year, we will continue to launch a number of events to further enrich the life experience of our mentees while they progress along their path to pursue university studies. We held our annual welcome/etiquette dinner for all mentees/mentors on 16 October 2009 and Career Day on 14 November 2009, a half day event inviting past alumni/speakers to present an overview and experience in a number of career fields polled by the interests of this year’s mentees. The key topics covered were medical, law and business. In Jan/Feb 2010, there will be several interview workshops to provide first hand tips and experience for mentees to prepare for their university entrance interviews. Then in April/May, a number of visits to professional firms and institutions are in the works. The programme will conclude with a Farewell/Closing function in June with certificates to be presented to those mentees who participated in our events, as well as maintaining their dialogue with their assigned mentors throughout the year.
This year, the Programme Management Committee (“PMC”) and our mentors had helped the School to organize and conduct a College Fair for the Form 4 and above students and their parents on 22 October 2009. The PMC will assist the School to oraganize a Careers Fair for all students in May 2010.
The PMC and myself will endeavor to do our utmost to deliver an enriching and challenging experience to our new mentees.
We welcome your comments and suggestions as how to continue to improve this programme. Please feel free to drop us a note via Emily Tong of the School’s Administration Office at spcc-thl@spcc.edu.hk.
Samantha Suen
Chairman
December 2009
What Past Mentees Say about the Programme
“ I can talk to my mentor about any questions I have for my future.”
“ It was a great chance for me to broaden my horizons.”
“ I got to know more about the career prospect and personal experience of my mentor.”
“ My mentor shared his personal life experiences and gave me good advice, which helped me when I was choosing universities.”
“ I like the person-to-person meeting aspect of the programme.”
“ (What I liked most about the programme is) meeting people of different professions. The most interesting thing is learning about their life (perspectives and attitudes) in addition to their career.”
On Career Day:
“ The experiences of the speakers are very useful in helping us to decide what profession to choose in the future.”
“ Very useful, providing opportunities to gain insights about different industries, providing professional advice.”
“ It is a very precious time. Thanks to the respectable speakers, I could have a much clearer idea in my choice of career path.”
On Interview Skills Workshop:
“ The Interview Workshop…helped me a lot in the preparation for my EAS interviews… Not only did the skills apply to EAS interviews, but also to the interviews in the life-long journey...The sharing of the past graduates was very informative and inspiring...”
“ As the university offers came in this week, I could not help but thought of how much the Interview Workshop had helped my EAS interviews…in fact, on my interview days, I brought only three things: a pen, a resume, and SPCC Interview Workshop notes!”
On Etiquette Dinner:
“ The dinner gave me a chance to meet with different mentors and learn social and dinner etiquette.”
“ ( A chance to) dine with the mentors and talk to them in a more leisure and interactive way.”
“ It helped me learn more about how to socialize with other people.”
FAQs
Who in the school can I contact if I am interested in knowing more?
lease contact Ms Judy Sum at Staff Room B or Ms Emily Tong at the Administration Office for more information on the Programme.
What can I expect from my mentor?
A mentor's role includes:
- Adviser: willing to share his/her knowledge and life experiences
- Supporter: providing emotional encouragement and support
- Resource Person: providing information about career/academic opportunities
- Role Model: the kind of person one aspires to be
What am I expected to do as a mentee?
- Make prompt and earnest effort to contact your mentor on a consistent basis
- Be polite, punctual
- Be pro-active, open-minded
- Be humble, grateful
- Respect your mentor's time
- Be responsible for yourself
- Participate… the benefit you reap from the Programme is a direct function of how actively you participate in the activities and in meeting your mentor
Can I participate in some Programme activities and not others?
You are encouraged to participate in all activities as they are all designed to facilitate your appreciation and preparation for your next stage in life. A Completion Certificate will be presented to you if you maintain satisfactory participation in the Programme, including contact with your mentor, as judged by the Programme Management Committee.
Can I drop out if I do not want to continue after joining the Programme?
We expect your continual participation once you have joined the Programme, as this is the case with all commitments in life. You should try to find out more before you join if you have any doubts. If you do find serious difficulty after joining due to other commitments, you should discuss with your mentor or Ms Judy Sum and try to resolve it positively.
Can I continue in the Programme even after leaving SPCC?
Your formal participation as a mentee in the Programme ends when you complete Form 6, however you may continue to keep in contact with your mentor, as quite a few past mentees do. You may also contribute your support and assistance towards organising future Programme activities. We welcome your continual link with the Programme.