Participants
Lars Holmboe - the project is an Industrial Ph.d. conducted with the Eductor company and RU.

Background
The phenomenon of mentoring as a tool for social inclusion has expanded dramatically in the Western world in the last two decades. The expansion is particularly significant in North America, the UK, but also other European countries have taken a lead in the area. This particular form of mentoring, where the goal is to include socially vulnerable groups in society has evolved to become an integral aspect in relation to activities related to education, social inclusion and groups of citizens who have special social difficulties.
We know surprisingly little about one-on-one mentoring relationships or how they work. Most existing research in this area takes an overall look, while more profound insight into the mentoring relationship is sparse. The use of this type of mentoring schemes in Denmark is probably largely inspired by English and American experience.
In Denmark it is interesting that the state, from the late 90s and especially after 2002, launched a number of schemes supported by public funds, schemes that were later enacted in the LAB-law. Other types of mentoring schemes can be found within the voluntary sector. Here the mentors are volunteers and unpaid, and the schemes are what might be called civil society mentoring schemes.

Purpose
The project aims to look at what happens over time in the mentoring relationship. What kind of help does a mentor provide? To what courses of learning does the mentor guide the protagonist? How can the social capital imparted to the protagonist in these courses of learning be described?

The research questions are based on two interrelated perspectives:
Why has the protagonist become involved in the mentoring relationship? On what basis does the protagonist meet the mentor? What strategies does the mentor meet the protagonist with? Do these strategies correspond with the needs of the protagonist? From what perspective does the protagonist view these processes? 

In what type of field are the mentoring relationships embedded? What are the underlying social, political and economic intentions of using mentoring in relation to vulnerable groups in society? On the basis of what motives and values is role of the mentor constituted? How is transparency concerning power-relations ensured in the mentoring relationships?

The fieldwork takes place at four key empirical points which are as follows:

Mentoring schemes based on cooperation between businesses and local job centres.

Mentoring schemes organized as projects with the purpose of supporting socially vulnerable citizens.

Mentoring schemes that through the use of voluntary, unpaid mentors seek to integrate immigrants and refugees into education or jobs.

A mentoring scheme developed in a different, i.e. not Danish, context.

Period
2008-2010

Contact
Lars Holmboe, lho@eductor.dk

Links
www.eductor.dk
www.interkultur.dk