Collect resources for mentors on how to do mentoring
A large part of the success of Google Summer of Code has to do with their extensive guide for students and a separate guide for mentors.
I think it is important that we collect such resources (if we can't create ourselves) to help mentors mentor better. Specifically, there should be some of these things:
- Help facilitate the process of learning
- Understand the struggles learners have to go through in communication, in asking questions, in learning itself, related to language, related to time/money/energy/etc, etc.
- Deal with different levels of motivation and aspiration among learners
- Deal with one's own emotions and distractions
- Be comfortable with uncertainties and the unknown
At the very least there should be a private space for mentors to talk to each other and seek help especially when dealing with a tough situation. Just being cognizant about all this should also be helpful.