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Retired Expert Mentorship Programme

Introduction (1.)
South Africa is a complex country, a country that through past racial divisions was on the brink of a civil war but through compromise and negotiation was turned into a democratic rainbow state. Changes have been fast and furious in an attempt to rectify previous wrongs and mistakes have certainly been made in the process.
One of the most pressing issues is the high rate of unemployment and the lack of essential skills to develop the country. It is however recognised that there is a pool of expertise amongst the retired sector that could make a significant contribution to the up-skilling of our workforce. By the sharing of their knowledge and experience through mentorship our pensioners can assist the youth in realising their full potential.

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Mentorship Requirements in South Africa

Introduction (2.)
This project is therefore aimed at establishing a mentor network that will access the resources of the retired sector (pensioners) and disseminate this knowledge to the youth entering tertiary education or the workplace. It is a win-win situation for the young and the old. The old after years of productivity will now be appreciated as a reservoir of knowledge that can assist the development of the youth and keep a critical eye on the development of the country. This initiative will benefit the elderly, the youth and the unemployed, and the fact that it is mutually beneficial will ensure its sustainability. It will just have to be structured to be sensitive to the needs of all the beneficiaries. Through cooperation and by promoting growth and development the nation will be the main beneficiary.

Prototyping
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As this solution is not a tangible object but rather a service, it was felt that a suitable prototype would be in the form of a brainstorming session and a questionnaire that would be given to the major stakeholders, namely the mentors and the beneficiaries, (students and the unemployed)

Students and Unemployed (1.)

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The following questions were asked of 5 students and unemployed

Q1.What inanimate object would you use to describe a mentor and why?
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A1.1 A ship because it carries you safely across the rough seas to your destination. A1.2 A bridge because it enables me to reach otherwise inaccessible goals. A1.3 A torch to see and make my way in the dark A1.4 A chain - to link me to new ideas A1.5 An elevator to take me to the top.

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Students and Unemployed (2.)

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Q2. Why would you consider using a mentor?

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A2.1 To get solid objective advice on my career path. A2.2 To have an experienced confidante that understands my specific requirements. A2.3 To gain valuable information from an experienced person. A2.4 To fast-track me to success without making unnecessary mistakes. A2.5 To navigate the minefield of life.

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Students and Unemployed (3.)

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Q3. Why do you feel there is a need for structured mentorship in South Africa? A3.1 Some parents lack a formal education and are not experienced enough to offer career advice. A3.2 Career guidance at some schools is very limiting. A3.3 One-on-one guidance helps to motivate and realise a students full potential. A3.4 Not everyone has the same opportunities and a mentor could help level the playing field. A3.5 It is invaluable to get a more experienced person to highlight what opportunities are available.

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Students and Unemployed (4.)

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Q4. Who would you want to mentor you?

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A4.1 Someone that has the time and the experience to advise me. A4.2 Someone with experience in my field of interest. A4.3 My grandparents would make good mentors but not my parents. A4.4 I would want someone that is easily accessible that I can consult on a regular basis. A4.5 Preferably a private person and not a government official.

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Students and Unemployed (5.)

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Q5 What would you require mentorship in?

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A5.1 I would require advice on what options are open to me with my present qualifications and how to apply for university funding. A5.2 I would welcome advice on creating a CV, and interview techniques. A5.3 I would welcome an honest assessment on my strengths and weaknesses and how I could improve my chances of success. A5.4 I would like to know what to expect in entering my chosen profession and what speciality options will be open to me. A5.5 I would like advice on how I can do things differently but still make a worthwhile contribution.

Students and Unemployed (5.)

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Q6 What do you think of the establishment of a mentor network utilising the expertise of retired people? A6.1 Yes I think that is a good idea I am sure they have plenty of cool advice to share. A6.2 Yes they will have time to help us. A6.3 I would welcome their assistance A6.4 I am not sure how it would work but it is certainly worth a try. A6.5 Yes I think it will work and maybe they will learn something from us in the process.

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Retired Experts (Pensioners)

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The following question was asked of 3 retired professionals

Q7 Would you be prepared to mentor young people and assist them in their career path.
A7.1 I would welcome the opportunity to give back to society and I am sure I have plenty of experience to impart. A7.2 Retirement can be difficult following a high powered executive position. I would be happy to mentor, it will give me a new purpose. I wont take any nonsense but nevertheless I will welcome the challenge. A7.3 Yes I would be happy to participate providing that there is some flexibility. I am sure that I can get a number of my friends onboard.

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Brainstorming
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The stakeholder (retired university professor) and two beneficiaries got together to brainstorm the structuring of a mentorship network. It was considered important to start small with a couple of retired experts mentoring four to six students. Based on this experience the network will be expanded utilising other important role-players including tertiary institutions, government, commerce and industry. The key will be to identify the needs and the resources available to ensure that the appropriate advice and training is given. The retired experts will link with the other role-players to provide apprenticeships, training, funding and eventually work placement.

Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young. Henry Ford

It was encouraging to test the idea of linking the retired experts with the youth and to get positive feedback.
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Initially this was limited to the more formal aspects of training and work placement but other softer options emerged where pensioners with less academic qualifications showed interest in making a contribution. A group of ladies are talking about starting an Adopt a Gogo (Granny) Service where they will offer baby-sitting, and cooking, sewing and knitting lessons. There has also been interest shown in giving gardening advice, specifically the planting of vegetable gardens, rainwater harvesting and composting.

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Intergenerational Cooperation
seems to be
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a powerful means of realising our full potential without denigrating our wealth of knowledge and experience to the retirement home. The scope is endless and is worth implementing in what has unfortunately become a throw-away society. It is preferable and more sustainable to repair than replace but items are now manufactured with a built in redundancy factor to encourage more sales. Let us not make the mistake of dispensing with a more valuable commodity - the knowledge and experience of our elderly.