Coaching gives me a meaningful time, in which I can support students for whom studying is not self-evident. Sometimes by giving them a helping hand, but this is never substantive. They don't need that and moreover I can't provide it. They often ask for support and to make a plan together, actually carry it out and adjust it if necessary. But it can also be, that someone has done his or her entire practical assignment, but can't convert his or her thoughts into a thesis. It also happens that the student asks me to go with him to the meeting with the dean. Such a meeting is often exciting for the student and if he or she thinks I can add something, then I'm happy to do so. Moreover, I also enjoy it, because it means that we have built a nice relationship. Of course, the information from the dean also allows us to make further progress together.
I experience the guidance from Student+ as practical and motivating. I have the feeling that not only the students, whose talent is temporarily buried under the study pressure, but also I really belong. They support me. But more than that, they keep the reigns on studying and take action behind the scenes when necessary. What is instructive about this is that I am often allowed to be present at such meetings or to contribute ideas. The intervision meetings are very varied. The subject is always close to practice. Then there is always time for mutual sharing of experiences. The beauty of this is that often your eyes are opened, which makes you more confident in contact with the student.
The basic training consisted of a number of meetings to get to know Fontys, Student+ staff and fellow coaches. I really had to get used to this, but still such an introduction is useful. In my opinion, the staff of Student+ gets a pretty good view of the new coach, which allows them to make a good match with a student later on. By the way, the individual introductory and final interview also helped with this. I experienced these as pleasant.
Compared to other volunteer work, it strikes me that there is a really positive development climate at Fontys. People work together to bring out the best in someone.