Preliminary communication

GENDER ASPECTS IN MENTORING CHILDREN - THE MENTORS' PERSPECTIVE

Marija Komar ; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Jeđud Borić orcid.org/0000-0002-2375-4839 ; Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

The goal of this paper is to examine the mentors' perspective on, and their experiences of mentoring children, with regard to the child’s gender. Qualitative methodology was used in the process of collecting and processing data. The data were acquired by means of focus groups and interviews, and have been processed utilizing the thematic analysis method. The participants in this project were male and female mentors taking part in the Mentors in Community program, which is part of activities of the Blue Phone Helpline for Youths. Three groups of mentors participated in the focus groups: male mentors mentoring boys, female mentors mentoring girls, and female mentors mentoring boys. The results of this study show that mentors consider mentoring as a positive worthwhile activity, and that they have positive attitudes towards the program. It appears that child's gender has an important role when it comes to the mentor-mentee relationship. The influence of gender is not direct, however, but rather works in combination with other characteristics of the child, age in particular.

Keywords

mentoring children; gender; mentors' perspective; qualitative research

Hrčak ID:

136818

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/136818

Publication date:

25.3.2015.

Article data in other languages: croatian

Visits: 2.657 *