Mentoring and the relationships between our mentors and their mentees are at the heart of what we do, and have been fundamental to the success of the programme up to now. In a constant search for improvement and to induct our newly appointed mentors on to our programmes the mentor training represents a crucial element of the build up towards the summer residentials that are planned. Topics covered included a discussion and open forum on the role of the mentor, allowing mentors to explore how best to tailor the role to the strengths of the individual mentor and the needs of the individual mentee, as well as specific details relating to the summer programmes and an update on safeguarding and child protection procedures.

The relationships are mutually beneficial and it can be genuinely inspiring to witness the way in which these groups of young people interact, with the shared aim of allowing the mentees to explore and fulfil their potential. The opportunity for our students to work alongside and learn from current and recent undergraduate students is invaluable to them, with the mentors working to engage, stretch and inspire their mentees, and to show them the possibilities that are out there for them.

The structure of mentoring at the AAF has been altered ahead of the 2016 summer residentials, with mentors signing two-year instead of four-year contracts for a variety of pertinent reasons. The two-year contracts better reflect the nature of our programmes – with years one and two on the programme about raising the expectations of our students and allowing them to broaden their horizons in terms of the opportunities available to them, and years three and four more focused on the academic interests, talents and ambitions of the students. The bespoke nature of the structure will allow talents of mentors to be best utilised, and allow the AAF to further individualise the support we are providing to our students.