You will have a 1:1 video call with each of your mentees at a fixed time every week, or every two weeks for certain cohorts in certain courses. These recurring calls are scheduled when the course starts, during the time slots you provide us and calendar invites with call links are sent out.
How to prep for a call
- Find a quiet, well-lit place to do your calls
- Test the camera and microphone to make sure they are working properly
- Use headphones, so that feedback will be minimized
- Be dressed appropriately
Each mentoring call highly impacts our students. Please help them launch successfully by attending your call, specially the first one, on time and making them feel welcome. You're encouraged to visit the "Your First Call" article for suggested discussions during your first student call.
How to join a call
1
To join a call, first, log into your Springboard account and open up the mentor dashboard. Make sure Zoom is also connected with your Springboard email account.
2At the time of your call, click on your mentee's name on the left-hand panel.3
Click the call name and click "Join Call" on your dashboard calendar. Or click on their "Call" tab and click the "Call on Zoom" button.
4
Once you have launched Zoom, you’ll be able to connect over video and chat with your mentee on the right side. If you've added your mentee as a contact, you'll also be able to share your screen.
5
Once you have finished the call with your mentee, make sure you and your student end the call. Go back to your mentor dashboard to log, rate, and add notes to your call. Your students cannot see this information, it's only visible to you and us. Note that logging each call is crucial to allow us to flag potential student issues and act proactively to provide greater support, an important part of our one-size-fits-one approach.
Communication Outside the Calls
As a mentor, the minimum commitment we require from you is that you prep and attend your scheduled call with each mentee. For further interactions with your students, we welcome you to set expectations around the frequency of communication that works best for both of you.
Please discuss your level of availability with your student during the first call. Remember that even if you can't respond to their conversation (email, chat, text…) immediately, just saying "I've received your message, and we can discuss on our next call" let them know you received it. It's better to reassure them than not responding at all which may create uncertainty.