Step Up Video Mentoring Opportunities -

Step Up invites mentors to support Step Up on Campus, our in-person after school program for teens, ages 14-18, through video mentoring. Share your experience and wisdom with the teens in one or more of three areas: health and wellness, career alignment, and/or career mapping. Read on to learn more about the topics and how you can participate.

Step Up on Campus Video Mentoring Options and Guidelines

Topic 1: Welcome to Step Up

This mentoring moment will be a way to welcome teens to the Step Up on Campus Program! During this session, students will be introducing themselves to their Step Up on Campus group and creating community norms for future sessions facilitated by our Step Up Leader. Students will start to understand the benefits of self-exploration during high school and how this group is a safe space for connection as they define their dreams of success. You can support this session through your recorded mentor moment by sharing a little bit about what Step Up means to you and by modeling an example of how self-exploration impacted your career journey.

Suggested Talking Points:

Hi! My name is [your name] and welcome to Step Up! I am a mentor and wanted to share [why I love mentorship]. Thank you for starting your journey as a mentee at your high school, I love Step Up because [how Step Up impacts you as a mentor]
First, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I am from [where you consider home] and currently [what you do now]. Explain how self-exploration led you to where you are today [your high school journey, pivots in your career and learnings]
It is so important to understand who you are from your values and mindsets, and to dream of where you want to go and how you could get there. [Share the importance in developing a sense of self and how it’s connected to your current career path]
Before I close, one last piece of advice I’ve learned along the way that might help you navigate your own career journey [share relevant guidance and/or resource].

Suggested Length: 3-5 minutes, no more than 7 minutes; this will allow our Step Up Leader to show the video, discuss it, and practice the exercise with the students during a Step Up session.

Topic 2: Financial Literacy Mentoring

This mentoring moment will be used to help the teens explore factors they should consider when selecting a career path. During the session the teens will look at the relationships between income and career selections. You can support this session by providing examples of how employment projections might influence a person's career selection.

Suggested Talking Points:

My name is [your name] and I am a mentor at Step Up. I wanted to share [how financial literacy] that I have found helpful in my life when faced with [whatever career or lifestyle choices in your life].
First, let me tell you a little about myself. I am from [where you consider home] and currently [what you do now]. Give examples of factors you’ve considered when making career choices (e.g., degrees needed).
Now that I’ve explained [factors that have weighed on your career choices], I’d like to talk about exploring your interests, passions, and strengths when considering career paths.[discuss your strengths and interests and how it aligns with what you do]. Explain how setting financial goals relates to choosing career paths [e.g., being able to take vacations, rent or affording a car]
Finally, I’d like to share one last tip or piece of advice I’ve found helpful in my journey for choosing to work with [enter workplace] and in this [industry].

Suggested Length: 3-5 minutes, no more than 7 minutes; this will allow our Step Up Leader to show the video, discuss it, and practice the exercise with the students during a Step Up session.

Topic 3: Health + Wellness Mentoring

This mentoring moment will be used within a session that focuses on increasing teens’ self-awareness of the different dimensions of wellness. During the session teens will practice health enhancing activities that promote and nurture their mental and emotional health. They will also practice goal setting to improve their overall well-being. You can support this session through your recorded mentoring moment by modeling a stress-reducing practice or exercise that you have found helpful in your life.

Suggested Talking Points:

My name is [your name] and I am a mentor at Step Up. I wanted to share [some stress-reducing practice or exercise] that I have found helpful in my life when faced with [whatever stressor this practice helps you to alleviate].
First, let me tell you a little about myself. I am from [where you consider home] and currently [what you do now]. Give examples of stressors that you experience and their sources (e.g., career-related or personal). Explain stress-reducing practice or exercise [what it is, when it’s best used, how it helps you]
Now that I’ve explained [the stress-reducing practice or exercise], I’d like to model it for you [model practice or exercise, giving verbal guidance as necessary].
Finally, I’d like to share one last tip or piece of advice I’ve found helpful to my health and wellness [share relevant guidance and/or resource].

Suggested Length: 3-5 minutes, no more than 7 minutes; this will allow our Step Up Leader to show the video, discuss it, and practice the exercise with the students during a Step Up session.

Topic 4: Career Alignment: Finding your Fit

This mentoring moment will be used within a session that focuses on increasing teens’ self-awareness by having them identify their values, strengths, and interests through peer interviews which allow them to explore their career interests/paths. You can support this session through your recorded mentor moment by providing a summary of your career journey. You can share your interests, skills, values and experiences which led you to your current career path, and you can close with tips and actionable next steps for girls interested in your specific career or career track.

Suggested Talking Points:

My name is [your name] and I am a mentor at Step Up. I wanted to share a bit about how I found a career that is a great fit for me.
First, let me tell you a little about myself. I am from [where you consider home] and currently [what you do now]. I got to where I am today because of my [what your values, interests or strengths are and how you were able to make career decisions that allowed you to align those values, interests, or strengths with your current career].
My role is important to the company/ organization I work for because [share what it is that you do for a living and how it's connected to your org/company. This supports mentees in understanding your job]
Before I close, one last piece of advice I’ve learned along the way that might help you navigate your own career journey [share relevant guidance and/or resource].

Suggested Length: 3-5 minutes, no more than 7 minutes; this will allow our Step Up Leader to show the video, discuss it, and practice the exercise with the students during a Step Up session.

Topic 5: Career Mapping: Building Professional Pathways

This mentoring moment will be used with a session that focuses on the teens setting value-aligned goals and creating action plans for themselves. If you have a particularly interesting or unusual professional pathway, you can support this session with your recorded mentor moment by sharing what goals you set to help you move along your path, detailing the pivots or leaps you made to your plan to allow you to carve out your own career path.

Suggested Talking Points:

My name is [your name] and I am a mentor at Step Up. I wanted to share some [pivots, leaps, or highlights] of my professional pathway with you toward [whatever your current profession is].
First, let me tell you a little about myself. I am from [where you consider home] and currently [what you do now]. I got to where I am today by [what you studied or steps you took to end up where you are, share your successes, missteps, and any key pivotal moments that have shared your professional path. You can share what you thought would be your career as a teen and how different situations, interests, and experiences contributed to your decisions and, ultimately, your current career path].
Finally, when trying to determine if a career is a good fit for you, I’d recommend [share relevant guidance and/or resource].

Suggested Length: 3-5 minutes, no more than 7 minutes; this will allow our Step Up Leader to show the video, discuss it, and practice the exercise with the students during a Step Up session.

Tips

Before you start to record your video, we encourage you to review our words matter guide to ensure your message is focused on asset-based language that is encouraging and inspiring!

If you’re unsure of best practices for how to record your mentoring video, just check out New York University’s tips for recording yourself. It shares tips on choosing the ideal shooting location, setting up your phone/camera, lighting, camera presence, and answering questions.

Next Steps

Once you’ve completed your video, just email it to mentor@suwn.org. By submitting your video via email to Step Up, you are granting Step Up permission to use it as part of our Step Up programming.

The team will then review, edit, and share your video with our partner teachers to allow them to select the video(s) they choose to integrate into Step Up programming.