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GSTEP MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME CODE OF CONDUCT

The Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) Code of Conduct (the “document”) will serve as a general

guidance outlining the expected behaviours from all members of the GSTEP Mentorship Programme when

interacting with the finalist teams.

All mentors under the Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) are responsible for the safety and wellbeing

of finalist teams who engage with GSTEP. All Mentors are expected to act in accordance with this Code of Conduct

in their physical and online interactions with finalist teams under the age of 18 years.

Trust and confidentiality are critical components of a successful mentoring relationship and shall be maintained at

all times.

Overview

The GSTEP Mentorship Code of Conduct shall:

● Identify the expected behavioural standards for engaging with the finalist teams during the Programme.

● Set a high standard of conduct for the protection and wellbeing of the finalist teams.

● Cover conduct in both the physical and online environments.

● Be easy for people to access and understand.

● Be covered in induction training for all mentors.

Who does this Code of Conduct apply to?

The GSTEP Code of Conduct applies to:

● GSTEP Mentorship Programme representatives: All GSTEP mentors

● GSTEP Mentorship Programme beneficiaries: Beneficiaries and recipients of GSTEP mentorship support
(young students, teachers).
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Expectations from GSTEP Mentors

Members of the GSTEP Mentorship Programme will have the responsibility to:

● Lead by example, always choosing to act with integrity;

● Treat everyone with respect, recognising each other’s right to personal privacy, although this may not apply
where there is information about a safeguarding concern which can be legitimately shared in order to
protect the individual at risk;
● Always be receptive to questions, concerns, or comments and make sure that issues are directed to the right
channels for support;
● Create and maintain an environment that prevents all forms of abuse including sexual abuse, discriminatory
abuse, physical abuse, psychological abuse, financial abuse, neglect and exploitation.
● Escalate matters that may indicate a violation of this Code of Conduct or any other issues to the GSTEP
Mentorship Programme Leader without delay.

Mentoring Role

Dos:
● Guard your choice of words
● Language and feedback should be motivational
● Engagement with students as teams at all times
● Be interactive, inspirational, encourage feedback
● Be engaging, encourage children to share, ask questions
● Be positive, patient, dependable, honest, and sincere.
● Be consistent, but flexible. Expect changes in plans.
● Set clear boundaries
● Encourage, praise and compliment – even the smallest
of accomplishments.
● Be an active listener. Use language that is easy to
understand
● Give concrete explanations
● Ask for opinions and participation in
decision-making
● Work with your mentee. Share your knowledge
rather than giving advice
● Be enthusiastic – it is contagious
● Stress the positive
● Help your mentee use mistakes as learning
experiences
● Be fair
● Have activities planned in advance
● Honour Your Commitment
● If you will miss a mentoring session, inform the
appropriate coordinator and/or teacher
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Don’ts:

● Do not use language, gestures, make suggestions or offer advice, which is discriminatory, inappropriate,
offensive, or abusive

● Violate confidences, with the single exception of crisis intervention situations, in which case you must
contact the coordinator(s) privately and immediately

● Engage in physical contact unless it relates to a pre-planned and necessary part of the work that is being
done, or would constitute responding to an emergency;

● Develop inappropriate relationships or use behaviour which could in any way be deemed exploitative or
abusive

● Invite young students to any meeting outside the working environment or spend excessive time alone with
young students, away from others, in a secluded area or behind closed doors, including on car journeys,
unless it is absolutely necessary and with parental or guardian consent

● No illegal drugs will be promoted or consumed within the mentoring relationship or related to mentoring
partnership activities

● No alcohol will be promoted or consumed within the mentoring relationship or related to mentoring
partnership activities where students are below the legal drinking age

● Develop romantic or intimate involvement with young students or teachers at any time during the course of
the mentoring programme

● Professional conduct will be maintained at all times throughout the mentoring relationship
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Communication

The following principles apply to the professional use of social media, video conferencing and any other
digital platforms during engagement with GSTEP students, teachers, and other stakeholders. GSTEP Mentors
need to know and adhere to the below policies to enable a safe environment during all forms of
communications.

● The rights of students, teachers and other mentors should be respected when featured in any online
communications, the correct handling of data, and enabling a safe online environment for all users.

● Consent should be granted by a parent and/or guardian, teacher, GSTEP Mentor Programme
leadership before any stories or images can be published of a student, teacher, or mentor. All
stakeholders will be informed about how content featuring them is used and/or shared and disclose
any potential risks, to ensure stakeholders are aware of their rights so that informed consent can be
given. This is to protect the privacy of others and adheres to data protection laws.

● GSTEP Mentors will only be allowed to contact students and teachers at agreed mentoring times and
not before or after. There cannot be the use of personal email, social networking, phone calls or
other means of communication outside of scheduled mentoring sessions.

● Content used during mentoring sessions will be factually accurate and will need prior approval of the
Programme leadership to ensure that content shared is truthful and relevant.

During virtual mentoring sessions, there are safeguards that should be put in place:

● GSTEP mentors should ensure they are in a private environment and make sure that backgrounds in
videos do not share any personal information or inappropriate content

● GSTEP mentors should continue to follow professional appearance/behaviour expectations and

maintain professional boundaries.

● Mentoring online sessions should only take place at scheduled times.

● GSTEP Mentors should be mindful of language used during sessions and only undertake acceptable
and approved behaviour as per this Code of Conduct.
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Confidentiality

● GSTEP mentors must maintain confidentiality and therefore sharing of information, which could identify
any young students should be purely on a ‘need to know’ basis.

● Any information offered in confidence to the GSTEP mentor should be received on the basis that may
need to be shared with relevant key programme leaders to protect the student and teachers, and this
should be made clear.

● Seek advice from the Programme lead, if you are in any doubt about sharing the information concerned,
without disclosing the identity of the individual where possible.

● All information shared should be based on considerations of the safety and well-being of the parties
involved and others who may be affected by their actions.

● Ensure that the information you share is necessary for the purpose for which you are sharing it, is
shared only with those individuals who need to have it, is accurate and up-to-date, is shared in a timely
fashion, and is shared securely.

● Keep a record of what you have shared, with whom and for what purpose.

SAFEGUARDING METHODS
How to Raise Questions and Report Concerns

Guidance about what might constitute a safeguarding incident:

Safeguarding incidents include concerns or allegations about the young students, teachers and/or against GSTEP
Mentors under the mentoring programme. They could, for example, include the following situations:

● Any observed or suspected abuse of a young student or teacher;

● Bullying
● Use of derogatory content
● Spreading of malicious rumours
● Persistent and/or unwelcome contact
● Offensive sexual behaviour
● Abuse of a position of power
If you are not sure how to handle something, or if you think there is a problem, speak up!

Who should I contact?

If you have questions or want to raise a concern, forward to the MEST Team via these email addresses.
Isaac.afriyie@meltwater.org, toyin@meltwater.org and rhoda.fletcher@meltwaer.org

Good faith reporting and non-retaliation

Acting in good faith means that all reports of possible violations of this Code or the law are made sincerely and
honestly. In other words, you must make a report with the best intentions. Please provide as much information as
possible so that your report can be fully investigation.

Investigations and discipline

Reports will be investigated in a respectful, professional manner as promptly and confidentially as possible. If you
are asked to participate in an investigation, you are required to cooperate full.
 ••••
All mentors under the Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize (GSTEP) are responsible for the safety
and wellbeing of children and young people who engage with GSTEP. All Mentors are expected to act
in accordance with this Code of Conduct in their physical and online interactions with children and
young people under the age of 18 years.
I will: • Act in accordance with GSTEP Mentor child safety and wellbeing
policies and procedures at all times.
• Behave respectfully, courteously, and ethically towards children and their
families and towards other staff.
• Listen and respond to the views and concerns of the student, particularly
if they communicate (verbally or non-verbally) that they do not feel safe
or well.
• Promote the human rights, safety, and wellbeing of all children at all times.
• Demonstrate appropriate personal and professional boundaries.
• Consider and respect the diverse backgrounds and needs of the
student.
• Create an environment that promotes and enables children’s participation
and is welcoming, culturally safe, and inclusive for all children and their
families.
• Contribute, where appropriate, to the GSTEP policies, discussions, learning
and reviews about child safety and wellbeing.
• Identify and mitigate risks to children’s safety and wellbeing as required by
[the organisation’s] risk assessment and management policy or process.
• Respond to any concerns or complaints of child harm or abuse promptly and
in line with Mentor Code of Conduct policy and procedure for receiving and
responding to complaints.
• Report all suspected or disclosed child harm or abuse as required by the
Mentor Code of Conduct Policy.
• Comply with Mentor Code of Conduct protocols on communicating with
young students.
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GSTEP MENTORSHIP PROGRAMME CODE OF CONDUCT FORM
I will NOT: • Engage in any unlawful activity with or in relation to a child.
If I think this Code of
Conduct has been
breached by
another person in the
GSTEP Mentorship
Programme I will:
I agree to abide by this
Code of Conduct during my
time as a GSTEP Mentor.
• Engage in any activity that is likely to physically, sexually or
emotionally harm any student.
• Unlawfully discriminate against any student.
• Be alone with a child unnecessarily.
• Arrange personal contact, including online contact, with
children I am working with for a purpose unrelated to GSTEP
Mentoring activities.
• Disclose personal or sensitive information about a child, including
images of a child, unless the child and their parent or legal guardian
consent or unless I am required to do so by [the organisation’s] policy
and procedure on reporting.
• Use inappropriate language in the presence of children or show or
provide children with access to inappropriate images or material.
• Work with children while under the influence of alcohol or
prohibited drugs.
• Ignore or disregard any suspected or disclosed child harm or
abuse.
• Act to prioritise the best interests of children.
• Take actions promptly to ensure that children are safe.
• Promptly report any concerns to the relevant GSTEP Mentorship
Programme contact.
• Follow the GSTEP Mentorship Code of Conduct policies and procedures
for receiving and responding to complaints and concerns.
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Signature
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Full Name
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Date