Being a Mentor

Working with teachers and children in the school environment offers opportunities and experiences not always available in the BBC workplace. Mentors support schools to take part in School News Day on 26th March 2009.

What do mentors do?

It varies with every mentor and every school.

Some mentors may be able to visit the school on a weekly basis to help deliver the lessons to the pupils and work with them on their news stories.

WHAT DOES A MENTOR DO?

• Helping prepare for School News Day
• Supporting the lead teacher
• Helping to identify stories
• Giving an insight into the BBC

Others will go into a school for a whole day and assist with a practice news day - or maybe work with a small group of children (and accompanying teacher) to record an interview for a piece that they want to produce.

Those mentors with little available time may lead an assembly, chat to staff in the staffroom, or hold a one hour meeting with the lead teacher.

Mentors will try to make themselves contactable on the end of a phone to help advise, offer support or just listen to the teacher as they run ideas past them.

HOW CAN MENTORS HELP?

• Give an assembly
• Talk to the staff
• Deliver some lessons
• Help on School News Day

Schools don't need a mentor to run the project and not all will have one. Having a mentor adds an extra dimension. Mentors can therefore give as much or as little time as their BBC work allows. Not every mentor can spend the maximum of three days in a school. For some, BBC operational commitments mean that a mentor can only offer the lead teacher support on the end of a phone. Any BBC contact and advice in a school is welcome.

What next?

• Get permission from your manager for some time off.

• Contact Mentor Producer Zoë Millett at zoe.millett@bbc.co.uk or via the global address list.

• Complete the online training module for child protection

• Attend training session (including child protection issues) and be matched to a school.

• Complete CRB form

• Contact the school - phone and email - arrange a time to meet lead teacher.

• At the meeting explain how you can help the school, what skills you can offer, and agree times when you will help.

In school

The teachers follow a series of lesson plans from the website. Some mentors get involved in their delivery, some don't. Teachers and mentors agree how the training and delivery of the project will work.

On News Day, March 26th 2009, mentors help the lead teacher to bring the project together, working to the 2pm deadline!

FAQ'sI haven't worked with children before, what do I need to do? I don't have a news background - how can I mentor on a news project?Tell me more about Child Protection Policy

I HAVENT WORKED WITH CHILDREN BEFORE, WHAT DO I NEED TO DO?

Working with children is for many, the best part of school report. All mentors need to complete a CRB form (Criminal Records Bureau) which we will give you. It remains valid for three years at the BBC. We also provide training in Child Protection issues. Staff need to complete the online training module Back to top

I DON'T COME FROM A NEWS BACKGROUND - HOW CAN I MENTOR ON A NEWS PROJECT?

We can offer basic news training for non-news people. But don't feel afraid of doing news. You will have watched, listened and read lots yourself, and much of it is commonsense. Schools are asked to steer clear of court reporting and anything that may be libellous. If in doubt either call us - or leave it out. The project is a fun way of finding out about news and everything you will need to know is on the school report website. Back to top

TELL ME MORE ABOUT CHILD PROTECTION POLICY

School Report Core Team Members and mentors will be required to have a 'Standard'CRB check in order to work on the project. They will also need to complete the Working With Children online module on learn.gateway.

CRB forms are distributed along with an explanatory sheet on how it should be completed. It is important it is filled in accurately otherwise it will not be processed and will be returned.

It should be returned to the mentor producer who confirms that identity documents and address verification has been carried out. It is then forwarded to HR who complete section Y.

The form number is logged and sent to the Criminal Records Bureau. On completion a disclosure form is sent to the individual concerned. BBC HR, as the Y signatory, is also informed of anything disclosed. Due to data protection laws BBC HR can only record and keep certain information but is basically whether the disclosure is considered 'satisfactory' or otherwise.

If a CRB check discloses any offence committed in the last five years, or records a 'caution, reprimand or final warning' given in the last three years then the person will not be used as a mentor on the School Report project.