Abstract
This study looks at the mentoring experiences of sixteen participants actively involved in a mentoring programme at Bahrain Polytechnic, a newly established tertiary educational provider in the Kingdom of Bahrain. A mentoring programme was an integral part of student support services and its purpose was to provide academic support and personal development to students throughout their study at the Polytechnic. A case study was selected as the research design, divided into two phases. The participants were eight mentors and eight students (mentees), selected on the basis of their active engagement in the mentoring process. Results indicated that students found the process helpful to their academic and personal development. They found the programme particularly supportive during the unrest in February/March 2011, when the Polytechnic was closed for five weeks. Mentors were able to provide support and reassurance to their students during this period, through texting, emails and telephone contact. Limitations of the study pertain to the fact it was conducted during an extraordinary semester. It is recommended that a larger study be conducted in a normal semester to further assess the value of the programme.
