Mentoring Coaches Under 18

Mentoring coaches under the age of 18 comes with its unique challenges and considerations.

To mentor Under 18 coaches, you must:

hold a coaching qualification Level 2 (pre-September 2023), Group Coach (post September 2023) or higher.
have an up to date (within the last three years) Safeguarding and Protecting Children certificate (A Safeguarding Adults at Risk certificate is not appropriate).
have valid British Triathlon Membership.
hold a valid British Triathlon Enhanced DBS Certificate.

Parental consent must be obtained before any agreement is made.
Mentee agreement put in place should include frequency of meetings, initial duration of relationship, agreed communication channels/methods and contact details to be used. This must include a parental signature.
All mentoring sessions with coaches under the age of 18 must take place face to face and in an appropriate public setting.
Communication should not be made through WhatsApp or other social media platforms unless a parent is included in the messages.
All communication should be age appropriate.
Personal information and experiences should be kept confidential to the mentee and their parents – unless a clear risk of harm or danger to the mentee or others is identified.
The focus of the mentoring should be on positive development of coaching skills, attitudes, and behaviours rather than trying to ‘fix’ someone. The mentee should be encouraged to take responsibility for their own growth and development.

How can you communicate in a way that is appropriate for the mentee’s age and level of understanding? E.g. simpler language.
What safeguards can you put in place to protect both your mentee and you?
What boundaries need to be set and maintained e.g. amount of communication, contact outside of mentoring sessions.