What is U-TOUCH eMentoring?

Using technology, the U-TOUCH eMentoring Program supports program applicants, or “beneficiaries,” with access to information and guidance that they could not access locally.

The eMentoring Program is another component of the U-TOUCH strategy to supplement inadequate access to education and to accelerate professional development in disadvantaged regions. It is structured to encourage economic success and self-sufficiency.

The U-TOUCH eMentor Program does NOT provide financial sponsorship. It is strictly limited to the exchange of information and is designed to provide guidance and encouragement to participating Beneficiaries

Technology – Key to eMentoring Success

At U-TOUCH Digital Library Centers, beneficiaries connect personally to mentors anywhere in the world through free access to internet and videochat. Beneficiaries master the fundamentals of internet communications through an 8-week computer literacy curriculum which encompasses introduction to computing, use of Microsoft Office programs, and basic internet communications tools. After completing an eMentor Request they are matched to an eMentor with expertise in their area of need. Contact is made through email, social network sites and videochat.

U-TOUCH tracks the success of every eMentor relationship through surveys of both beneficiaries and eMentors.

Who is a U-TOUCH eMentoring Beneficiary?

U-TOUCH eMentoring beneficiaries are individuals who have a specific need for information or guidance in an area related to their profession or business.  They have mastered the technological skills required for Internet communication and have completed a U-TOUCH eMentor Request which includes a description of the beneficiary’s goal and a description of the problem for which the beneficiary is asking advice.

Who is a U-TOUCH eMentor?
U-TOUCH eMentors represent every profession, every age group, every socio-economic group.  They can live in any country in the world.  What they all have in common is a willingness to share their knowledge and experience with someone to make a difference.

How much time does it take?  Being an eMentor can take just a few minutes of your time – although in our experience eMentors often develop positive personal friendships that extend beyond their mentor/beneficiary relationship.

 

If you want to make a difference, Contact U-TOUCH to learn more about becoming a U-TOUCH eMentor.

 

 

eMentoring Stories:

Dressmaking Business

A beneficiary is determined to start-up a dressmaking business to provide for herself and her family.  She has learned dressmaking skills and identified where to buy the necessary raw materials.  But she needs help in budgeting her resources and defining a way to market her product.  Her eMentor provides information that helps her to allocate her resources and track her expenses, giving her control over her expenses and helping her new business succeed.

Community Farm

A small village wished to use 100 acres of tribal land to create a co-op farm that will feed all villagers and provide a modest income from crops.  We connected them with Horticulture experts in the US who are helping them determine crop allocation and maximize yield per acre.

 

 

 

 

Request an eMentor    -    Become an eMentor     -      Student Program