This Mentoring: Theory and Practice essay asks students to examine how mentoring supports people, combining current research with reflection on their own work as a mentor. The question centres on Ghosh’s claim that mentoring is now seen as a reciprocal, collaborative partnership, so the essay should keep collaboration between mentor and mentee at the centre of the analysis.

Essay Title

Collaborative Practice in Mentoring: Promoting Effective Learning, Professional Development and Partnership Working

Task

Drawing on current research and your own personal experience of being a mentor, provide a detailed analysis of the role of mentoring in providing support.

‘Mentoring is increasingly being understood as a reciprocal and collaborative relationship instead of a one way hierarchical one’ (Ghosh, 2013, p.113).

Discuss the title, briefly stating what you understand from the quotation. The focus is on collaboration in mentoring relationships.

Assessment Criteria

The summative assessment develops critical and analytical skills. You should demonstrate:

• A clear understanding of the theoretical and knowledge base needed to address the question
• The ability to plan, collate and assimilate information effectively
• Critical analysis linking mentoring theory to your own practice