A special needs mentor works with teachers to determine which learners/participants need mentoring, and how it will help them handle their limitations in a profound manner.
They provide support and guidance to students (and staff members) by removing barriers to learning, aimed at promoting effective participation. The main idea behind hiring someone as a special needs mentor is to help promote, develop, and maintain effective relationships with students, to help them support teaching initiatives.
Eligibility criteria to work as a special needs mentor is a degree in psychology or counseling, specifically in a special needs capacity. While working in this position, you have to make sure that you are aware of the many different challenges that this work poses.
You have to be emotionally stable if you want to work as a special needs mentor, and it is important to be able to communicate well with people from different backgrounds. Resilience, assertiveness, and a non-judgmental manner are also prerequisites to working at this position.
Moreover, one has to possess exceptional organizational skills, and the maturity to handle different types of cases. Classroom management, leadership abilities, and instruction planning capabilities are all requirements to work as a special needs mentor in most capacities.
If your aim is to work as a special needs mentor, you might be interested in the following list of duties particular to this position:
Special Needs Mentor Duties & Responsibilities
• Create and maintain effective liaison with staff members to identify learners who have good chances of benefiting from mentoring programs.
• Assist people with special needs on a one on one basis or in a group capacity, inside the classroom, or on a personal level.
• Implement strategies and support learners by providing them with assistance in developing self-esteem, and leading confidence-building activities.
• Listen intently to people with special needs aimed at resolving a range of issues that may create barriers to learning.
• Create and implement action plans with learners, targeting the aims of mentoring, and monitoring their progress.
• Monitor and record the attendance and punctuality of learners, ensuring that any issues regarding absenteeism are resolved.
• Confer with parents, guardians, or other family members to obtain information regarding in-home success of mentoring programs.
• Provide well-placed advice to parents on behavior strategies, and parenting skills, as part of the mentoring program.
• Liaise with professionals such as educational psychologists, police personnel, and social services to ensure the delivery of exceptional mentoring programs.
• Provide assistance in group activities such as anger management classes, and lead “offload” sessions.