Intercultural mentoring: experiences and opportunities

Dr. Barbara Zorman

Summary:  An example of intercultural mentoring is presented in this article, as developed through cooperation between students of the University of Primorska, Faculty of Education Koper (intercultural mentors) and pupils from immigrant families (mentees) who attended one of the primary schools in the coastal area of Slovenia in the academic year 2015-2016. It focuses on the experiences and views of the mentors, which are portrayed through an analysis of interviews performed at the end of the four-month mentoring period, in February 2016. Based on the numerous positive outcomes of this process, as indicated by the mentors’ statements—such as strengthening self-confidence and cognitive competences, as well as integration of the mentees and the professional maturation of mentors—the paper suggests that intercultural mentoring should become a central part of the integration process for pupils with migrant backgrounds, and in conclusion proposes a few guidelines for the improvement of this process.