The Mentor’s Book: A handbook in the PLYA programme is a new addition to the bookshelf of the mentors in the PLYA programme and other practitioners working with socially marginalised groups of people. It is written in Slovenian.
It is a unique expression of humanistic pedagogy that manifests through respectful and trustworthy interpersonal relationships between the participants and the experts who support them on their learning and personal growth journey. As Milko Poštrak writes in the first chapter, mentors are education experts, while young people are experts of their own experience and are “from this perspective […] the most competent to talk about themselves, their feelings, actions, fears and hopes. They are ‘experts of everyday experiences’ (Čačinovič Vogrinčič 2008). They have an emic experience of their own lives (Canals 1995: 105).”
The word “emic” comes from anthropological and ethnographic studies that examine specific cultures. It represents an insider’s perspective – the viewpoint of, for example, locals or individuals living within a particular culture. The person’s perspective is shaped by their views, beliefs and knowledge acquired through life. In contrast, an ethical approach represents an outsider’s viewpoint (through the eyes of an external observer) – this is essentially a scientific perspective that studies a culture through abstracted, comparative and theoretical methods, explaining the emic through the lens of scientific and generally accepted conventions.
Mentors and other educators working with vulnerable groups are both respectful and responsible allies for young people in relation to the institutions where the young manage their situation. The term social vulnerability refers to individuals who are more exposed to their control and sanctions in their interactions with social institutions than they benefit from institutional intervention. The situation of vulnerable groups, including participants in the PLYA programme, is marked by a range of threatening factors that, if not addressed, can cause irreparable damage in the participants’ later lives.
The book consists of ten chapters that discuss and address various aspects of empowering young participants in the programme. Together, they represent the paradigm and fundamental premise of mentorship in the PLYA programme, which can be applied in diverse professional work contexts with other socially disadvantaged groups and adult categories.
Due to its didactic function, the chapters have the same structure: the purpose and objectives of the chapter, its relevance to the PLYA programme, problem-solving, theoretical hints, solution to the problem and additional reading. Individual chapters present the fundamental components and principles of operation in the PLYA programme, its core goals and ways to promote the development of competences and virtues (strengths) that young people develop in the programme. The theory on which the programme is based intertwines with the concrete experiences of mentors. The authors of the Mentor’s Book are reputable experts in the relevant fields and experienced and reflective mentors in the PLYA programme. They have also contributed the cited examples from their extensive practice. Additionally, the voices of programme participants are present in the form of quotes.
Despite its length (155 pages), the book is reader-friendly and can be started from anywhere. Each chapter is a self-contained unit, yet interconnected with others. The table of content enhances readability, allowing the reader to easily select the chapter or section of interest with a single click. Click and see for yourself!
Natalija Žalec, MAEd(UK) (natalija.zalec@acs.si), SIAE
