Introduction
In setting this Code of Best Practice for Mentoring, The Kennel Club wishes to ensure that judges are aware of the process of securing a heelwork to music mentor, what this entails and that heelwork to music mentor s are able to meet the needs of judges in their educational progress.
Mentoring forms an important part of a judge’s learning to be competent to judge heelwork to music mentor, however, the judge still needs to develop their judging skills through practical experience of being a judge.
This document should be read in conjunction with its subsequent appendices and must be adhered to as far as possible, in order to meet The Kennel Club requirements for judging.
Individuals reading this Code of Best Practice (and its appendices) are reminded to ensure that they hold the most up to date copies.
1. What is heelwork to music mentoring?
1.1 Mentoring is a relationship in which a more experienced or more knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person in heelwork to music.
1.2. In the context of the Judges’ approval, mentoring is a learning and development experience where a mentee is assisted by a heelwork to music mentor in developing skills and knowledge and a full understanding of judging heelwork to music.
1.3. A mentee must have a minimum of three mentoring sessions. If more than three sessions are felt necessary by the Mentee, or, based upon feedback from mentors, additional mentoring sessions may be allocated.
2. The aim of heelwork to music mentoring
2.1 To extend the education of judges and provide them with the information to make informed decisions to preserve and safeguard the sport.
3. Objectives of heelwork to music mentoring
3.1 To provide an opportunity for judges to expand on the knowledge they have acquired following attendance at an initial Regulations and Procedures Seminar, passing the multiple-choice examination and attending a Practical Seminar.
3.2 To empower individuals to take control of their learning opportunities and ensure that all Kennel Club judges are provided with the opportunity for enhancing their knowledge.
3.3 To outline The Kennel Club’s expectations and reinforce good practice.
3.4 To provide opportunities for judges to undergo a minimum of three mentoring sessions which will contribute to the requirements necessary to judge.
4. Elgibility criteria for heelwork to music mentees
In order to be eligible to undertake a mentoring session, Mentees must:
4.1 Meet all the requirements stated in the Rules and Regulations L Judges’ Approval.
5. Eligibility criteria for heelwork to music mentors
5.1 The Kennel Club accredited trainers and/or judges that The Kennel Club deem to have suitable judging experience.
6. Responsibilities of a heelwork to music mentor
The responsibilities of a heelwork to music mentor include:
- Agreeing how best to conduct the mentoring activity, to best meet the needs of the Mentee, in line with Kennel Club requirements and guidance.
- Encouraging the mentee to express and discuss their ideas, concerns and understanding of the sport.
- Encouraging the mentee to play an active part in the session and use questions to encourage the mentee to demonstrate their knowledge.
- Helping Mentees to review their progress and set realistic and practical options for judging.
- Helping Mentees to reflect on and learn from the mentoring experience.
- Taking due care and consideration when providing feedback to Mentees. Feedback should be constructive and honest.
- Referring mentees to other sources of information, advice or further support where appropriate.
7. Advertising and application for mentoring
7.2 The Kennel Club will allocate mentors.
7.3 It is the responsibility of the mentee to make themself reasonably available and to be accommodating with the mentor and their availability, venue and times.
8. Organisation of mentoring
9. Mentoring policy
The policy of mentoring includes, but is not restricted to the following guidelines:
- Mentoring of Mentees under 18 years must take place in the presence of a parent/guardian in an open environment. For Mentees under the age of 18, The Kennel Club advises Mentors to consult the Young Kennel Club’s Child Protection Policy
- Mentors may not formally mentor their spouse, immediate family or anyone that is resident at the same address or who owns dogs in partnership with them.
- Only one mentoring session per judge may take place on any one date. Mentors may mentee more than one judge on the same day as long as sufficient time is allocated for the mentoring sessions to be meaningful. Please refer to relevant mentoring guidance.
- There should be a minimum of 4 weeks between each mentoring session to enable mentees to assimilate feedback given and further develop their knowledge and understanding.
- There can be no charge by a mentor for undertaking a mentoring session. Individual mentoring sessions should be conducted at events that the Mentor is already due to attend as far as possible, in order to ensure that the mentor is not out of pocket.
- Any discussion between mentors and mentees regarding competitors, must be kept strictly confidential and this fact should be firmly established and agreed at the onset of mentoring by both mentee and mentor.
- The Mentor and Mentee must complete accurate and confidential records of all mentoring sessions and the Mentee must return a copy of the relevant paperwork to The Kennel Club.
- The Mentor and Mentee should keep up-to-date, accurate and confidential records of all contact with The Kennel Club.
- All parties engaged in Mentoring are required to abide by The Kennel Club’s Privacy Policy in relation to GDPR.
Mentoring records and mentor feedback
2. A copy of the Mentoring Record Form must be completed by the mentor on the day the mentoring session takes place. This must be given to the Mentee for their records. A copy must be sent to The Kennel Club by the mentee so that their records might be updated. Mentees are responsible for retaining this documentation.
3. Mentoring Record Forms should be treated in a confidential manner.
11. Mentoring access arragments
- Candidates with recognised educational needs, disabilities and temporary physical injuries may request access arrangements. A common sense approach should be adopted.
12. Complaints procedure
- Please refer to The Kennel Club.