SERVUS Mentoring Academy

WORKSHOP ONLINE MENTORING ACROSS CULTURES, 4 February 2022

Theresa Sigillito Hollema is our esteemed workshop leader in this workshop. Theresa provides practical frameworks for understanding the dynamics of global teams, also very relevant for interpersonal e-communication between mentor and mentee. In this workshop Theresa will share real-life examples and actionable advice for online mentorship. She will address issues such as psychological safety, social closeness, sense of separation vs sense of belonging, and how to developing cultural competence and discuss culture with your mentee, see also her book  https://www.interact-global.net/book/  This workshop is for mentors, (PhD) students, (VU) professionals and members of SERVUS Platform of Mentoring Communities.  Special thanks to SBE and VU Foundation empowering this ‘We Shall Overcome’ Inspired by the words of dr. Martin Luther King jr.: “Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education.”  Flyer of workshop

SERVUS AND EDU4U NOMINATED FOR THE EUROPEAN MENTORING AWARD 2020

The SERVUS Platform of Mentoring Communities, with case study of Edu4u, was nominated for the European Mentoring Award 2020. In september 2020 mentoring organizations worldwide could present their project to the Scientific Committee of the European Mentoring Summit. Finally, during the EMS 2020, 8 nominated organizations including SERVUS/Edu4u, were selected to pitch their mentoring projects see SERVUS/EDU4U pitch in front of philanthropist companies and foundations. We congratulate the award winner, our partners from Campus Connections Aotearoa in New Zealand. 

RECENT SERVUS ACTIONS

We would like to share an impression of recent SERVUS actions. Given the COVID-19 crisis and the impact for vulnerable groups in society, we developed 2 Online Mentoring Masterclasses (June and September) empowered by the Oranje Fonds. In between the 2 Masterclasses we presented our R&D mentoring results during a PDW panel discussion at the Academy of Management August 2020.  

MASTERCLASS ADVANCED MENTORING 27 MARCH 2020

Following a series of successful Masterclasses in 2018 and 2019 for mentors represented in the SERVUS Platform of Mentoring Communities, this new initiative is due 27th March 2020. It was a strong wish of the participating mentors  to have a follow-up of their earlier Masterclass experience, to further enhance knowledge sharing and mentoring skills. The voluntary mentors are professional workers such as architect, lawer, marketeer or HR director. Though their business background is rather diverse, they share a passion of giving back to society.

MASTERCLASS MENTORING IN CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNITIES

Hoe kun je een goede mentor zijn voor scholieren, werknemers of andere mentees die een extra steuntje in de rug nodig hebben? Wat doe je als je een mentee met een andere culturele achtergrond vooruit wilt helpen? Cross-culturele kennis en vaardigheden zijn essentieel bij het vinden van de juiste oplossingen. Dit houdt in dat je niet alleen open staat voor andere culturen, maar dat je ook durft open te staan om de vanzelfsprekendheid van je eigen culturele vorming kritisch te bekijken. De mentor-mentee relatie werkt beter als je het samen eens bent over de hulpvraag. 

Ervaring in cross-culturele communicatie helpt om knelpunten te bespreken en gezamenlijke doelen te behalen. Houd je vooral vast aan de regels of is er ook ruimte voor emotie? Werk vanuit respect en empathie voor soms ogenschijnlijke tegenstellingen tussen culturen. Een goede mentor is in staat waarden met elkaar te verbinden. De mentor kan de mentee helpen om dilemma's in studie of werk op te lossen. Door de juiste stimulans ontstaat een interactie tussen beiden van sturen en loslaten. Enerzijds ben je nauw betrokken bij de mentee, maar anderzijds behoud je ook een professionele distantie. 

In deze unieke Masterclass ga je aan de slag met deze dilemma's. Door interactie met deskundige sprekers leer je het beste uit jouw mentorschap te halen, om zo terug te geven aan de mentee c.q. samenleving. 

Bekijk hier de flyer. 

NAJAAR 2019 - MASTERCLASS: THE GENTLE ART OF HELPING

Wegens succes organiseren we weer een nieuwe editie van de inspirerende 1-daagse Masterclass ’The Gentle Art of Helping’ najaar 2019 op de VU. Inlichtingen: servus.sbe@vu.nl
Lees ook dit testimonial getiteld “Echt Helpen” van Jochem Koole.

Bekijk ook de flyer.

AUTUMN 2019 - MASTERCLASS 'CULTURELE DUURZAAMHEID'

The Masterclass 'Culturele Duurzaamheid: van statushouder naar talent' will address good practice cases to nurture career development of refugees and includes a workshop cross-cultural awareness. Delegates: This Masterclass is dedicated to couples of local job consultants and one of their refugee clients. Due to the interactive character of this Masterclass a limited number of 8 couples (total of 16 delegates). Date: t.b.a. Information servus.sbe@vu.nl 

Flyer Masterclass Culturele Duurzaamheid 24 mei (Dutch)

MASTERCLASS THE GENTLE ART OF MENTORING 1 FEBRUARY AND 26 APRIL 2019

The Masterclass ‘The Gentle Art of Mentoring’ (TGAOM) has been designed and implemented for voluntary mentors supporting underprivileged students, here called mentees. The majority of mentors are, in daily life, executives in industry.  In this Masterclass the participants exercise the complexity of helping from a mentor and mentee perspective. The Masterclass design is inspired by Prof. Edgar Schein’s theory on humble inquiry and helping. Mentors learn to apply humble inquiry, overcome misunderstanding in communication, and are being trained in the skills of active listening. Because, the biggest communication problem is people do not listen to understand, they listen to reply. Participants discuss what hinders them to give meaning to others and to their organization. What do you need to make the first steps towards such meaningfulness? This new research-supported learning approach will serve participants to see through complex mentorship dilemmas. The Masterclass is empowered by SBE and The Cloverleaf Foundation (www.cloverleaffoundation.com)
 
Flyer of Masterclass

7 DECEMBER 2018 - MASTERCLASS CULTURELE DUURZAAMHEID: "VAN STATUSHOUDER NAAR TALENT"

In samenwerking met The Room of Listening die afgelopen jaren ‘De Stadscoalitie methodiek’ ontwikkelde, organiseert SERVUS deze Masterclass voor beleidsmedewerkers van Nederlandse gemeenten. De Stadscoalitie methodiek brengt ondernemende nieuwkomers, zoals vluchtelingen, in contact met Nederlandse vakgenoten. De Stadscoalitie methodiek is ontwikkeld in de gemeente Leidschendam-Voorburg en vormt een inspiratiebron voor andere gemeenten. Nieuwe en gevestigde vak- en stadsgenoten worden op een gelijkwaardige manier met elkaar verbonden. Talent, vakmanschap en wederkerigheid vormen het hart. Deze aanpak creëert werk, een sociaal netwerk en biedt mogelijkheden tot nieuw ondernemerschap en talentontwikkeling.

Meer informatie in de flyer: SERVUS Masterclass Culturele Duurzaamheid, 7 december 2018

Tijd en locatie
Vrijdag 7 december 2018
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
School of Business and Economics
De Boelelaan 1105
1081 HV Amsterdam

Deelnamekosten zijn inclusief lunch en studieboeken: € 400 per deelnemer

Aanmelden
Meld je aan voor 20 november 2018 via servus.sbe@vu.nl

LAUNCH SERVUS PLATFORM OF MENTORING COMMUNITIES

Friday 9th November 2018 the Platform of Mentoring Communities was launched at the VU. This Platform is an initiative of Servus and subsequently developed in close cooperation with Giving Back, empowered by the Cloverleaf Foundation and the VU School of Business and Economics. The new Platform will connect the Community projects in the region of Amsterdam and beyond, to strengthen capacity building, and intensify network and knowledge sharing. In the Platform mission cross-fertilization is considered more feasible once you know each other in person and pool resources. The Platform aims for joint fundraising, and organize joint events to spread the word in society.  In sum, coordination is needed to connect the Community projects affiliated with Giving Back and SERVUS.  

The Community projects represented in this SERVUS Platform are:

• Big Brothers Big Sisters
• A Broader Mind
• Community Service Learning VU
• Giving Back
• Enactus VU
• IMC Weekend School
• Edu4U
• SamenHier
• VoorUit

In the near future the following SERVUS platform actions are foreseen, based on common needs:

1. Identify funding to support common needs and actions. Industrial partners in CSR . 
2. Community building. Strengthening and sharing common responsibilities e.g. by giving volunteers a sense of belonging in their Community Project. 
3. Improve (online) communication with and among mentors and mentees.  Explore innovative (online) mentoring styles and tools.

SERVUS MASTERCLASS FOR GIVING BACK MENTORS

The community organization Giving Back (www.givingback.nl) supports underprivileged pupils to unlock their talents. In Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Eindhoven and Rotterdam secondary school pupils are assigned to a professional Mentor from industry. Through personal coaching by volunteer Mentors the pupils are enabled to cope with major dilemmas regarding life, school choice and future career. Supported by their Mentor the pupils get a first introduction into the business world to enrich their social and educational horizon.
Giving Back and SERVUS launched a series of SERVUS Masterclasses ‘The Gentle Art of Helping”, designed especially for these Mentors, since October 2018.
Giving Back Mentors learn how to help secondary school pupils through humble inquiry, building trust and cross-cultural awareness.  Besides theoretical insights, exercises are embedded in the program, where participants learn to deal with dilemmas in their mentoring workplace.
Giving Back and SERVUS are sustainable partners for more than a decade. This initiative is empowered by the Cloverleaf Foundation.