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Manual
What is Soul Bilíngue?
Soul Bilíngue is a social initiative that aims to change the future of young, low-income Brazilians through English immersion and exchange opportunities.
Fluency in English is a reality for less than 5% of the Brazilian population. For individuals coming from low-income backgrounds and graduating from public schools, the challenge is even greater due to inadequate encouragement and a lack of awareness regarding the transformative power of English in shaping their future lives. Our goal is to shift the perspectives of young Brazilians, providing them access to more opportunities and a brighter future.
Our vision is to make the exchange dream possible for all low-income young Brazilians.
How does the program work?
We are a gamified English program focused primarily on English language development and other skills. Once approved, students engage in a semester-long journey of point-worthy online activities. You can check the activities and their respective points below:
Upon completing the 22-week immersion program, the most dedicated Soul Students earn rewards, including scholarships for up to four weeks of English language study abroad!
For Soul Students Completing the Program:
- Significant English Improvement (75% demonstrate notable progress)
- Level Advancement (45% advance to a higher English level after 22 weeks)
- Certificate of Achievement
For the Most Committed Students:
- One of 40 scholarships for a 1-year online English course at EF after the Soul Program
- One of 60 scholarships for online exchange at English Path, including live classes
- Outstanding Student Soul Bilíngue badge for LinkedIn and other social media profiles
For the Top 8 Students:
- Title of Young Ambassador Soul Bilíngue
- Scholarship for a minimum 3-week study abroad program
- Accommodation for the exchange period with partner schools
You can find out the winners of the last edition in the video below:
Students' Profile
Requirements to join as a student:
- Be between 18 and 29 years old ;
- Have completed all three years of high school in a public school;
- Residents of Brazil;
- Have a per capita income of 2 minimum wages.
- Have never participated in an international exchange program for work or study (leisure travel does not affect eligibility).
What does the game offer?
Classes
Time of the Classes: Saturdays from 11pm to 12:30pm (BRT/GMT-3)
P.S.: You cannot schedule mentoring sessions at the same time as classes.
Counseling
At Soul Bilíngue, we prioritize the well-being of all our participants, especially our young learners. We recognize that everyone comes from diverse backgrounds, and understanding oneself is crucial for navigating the world successfully. The program has two types of counselors:
Group counseling (10 students):
The psychology volunteer at Soul has a more welcoming role and direct contact with the young Soul students. Through orientation, the volunteers approach various themes related to mental health, depression, motivation, frustrations, and self-knowledge through sporadic meetings with groups of a maximum of ten students each.
P.S.: The meetings are held every other Saturdays from 9 AM to 10:30 AM (BRT/GMT-3). You cannot schedule mentoring sessions at the same time as counseling.
Individual support
In specific cases, young people also receive free individual counseling sessions with volunteer psychologists throughout the program. Pre-departure support: All students who receive international academic scholarships have individual sessions with a specialized psychologist in intercultural counseling.
Soul Summit
We host exclusive events designed to inspire our Soul Students to explore the world by bringing in inspirational individuals, showcasing different exchange programs, and helping them prepare for their first international experience.
Mentoring Area
What is mentoring?Mentoring is a part of the program dedicated to helping the students with their confidence in learning English.
Mentors ARE NOT English teachers, so the goal is to inspire the students with people that use the language on a daily basis.
Your job is to help them work their English through different dynamics such as youtube videos, talking about a specific subject, reading articles, listening to songs and etc., to support them on their learning journey.
How does it work?To earn their full mentoring points, students must attend three mandatory meetings per cycle with their mentor.
Your role as a mentor is to support your mentee's learning journey, drawing from your own experiences. During mentoring sessions, you are free to address any English-related topic. However, always prioritize and incorporate your mentee's feedback on the work and activities.
Roles and Responsibilities
Mentor's Role
- Attend a minimum of 3 mentoring sessions per cycle.
- Submit the mentoring validation form at the end of each session.
- Keep in contact with your leader and respond to their messages
- Be prepared and engaged during mentoring sessions.
- When sharing your experiences, be mindful that your mentee may have different backgrounds and perspectives. Approach conversations with sensitivity and awareness.
Mentee's Role
- Schedule and attend a minimum of 3 mentoring sessions per cycle.
- Submit the mentoring validation form at the end of each session.
- Provide advance notice in case of rescheduling or canceling.
- Be prepared and engaged during mentoring sessions.
- Attend all scheduled mentoring sessions.
To ensure consistent progress, our mentoring program uses a 4-week cycle system. Within each cycle, you'll conduct three sessions with your mentee, each lasting at least 40 minutes. Students earn points for completing these sessions. The cycle schedule will help you plan your sessions and set achievable goals with your mentee.
You have from the cycle start date to the end date to complete three required sessions. You can find the start and end dates for each cycle on the main page.
Mentoring rulesBoth mentors and students have rules and restrictions!
- It is not allowed to carry out two mentorships on the same day
- Each mentoring session should last a minimum of 40 minutes.
- At the end of each mentoring session, both the mentor and mentee must complete a validation form.
- If you need to reschedule a session, please provide at least 3 hours' notice in advance.
- While mentors are expected to be on time, a 5-minute grace period is recommended for mentee arrivals. However, please note that mentors are not obligated to reschedule sessions or wait beyond this grace period.
- Students of different English proficiency levels cannot participate in group mentoring sessions together. However, students at the same English proficiency level may participate if they feel comfortable doing so.
Validation Form
The Mentoring Validation Form is the document that proves to us that you and your student did the mentoring. We have around 1000 mentorings per month, so this system was the best one we could find to validate all mentoring sessions in a reasonable time.
At the end of each mentorship session, both mentors and students are required to complete a form to validate their participation. To facilitate this process, we recommend filling out the form together with your student approximately five minutes before the session ends. The completion of this form by both parties is crucial for awarding mentorship points.
The mentors form will always be available in the "Validation" section of the website, and the students form will be available in the WhatsApp group description.
Mentors' Leaders
To ensure a smooth and supportive experience for all 250+ volunteers in our program, we have a dedicated group of 12 volunteer leaders who provide invaluable assistance.
Our leaders have participated in the mentoring program for at least a semester, making them well-versed in our guidelines and procedures. Their experience and commitment allow them to provide additional support and guidance to fellow volunteers.
Don't hesitate to reach out to our leaders if you have any questions about program guidelines or best practices, ideas for engaging mentoring activities or concerns about any aspect of the program.
Our leaders are here to help create a positive and enriching experience for everyone involved.
First Steps
Matching Process
Once you have selected a student, they will automatically receive an email with your contact information, notifying them that you are their mentor.
You should receive an email from your mentee within 48 hours of the match.
If you don't hear from them after this deadline, please contact us.
Upon receiving your mentee's email, please promptly schedule your first mentoring session.
Important Reminders:
- Please wait 48 hours before contacting us if you haven't heard from your mentee.
- Double-check your spam/trash folder, as their email might be there!
What platform should I use?
You can use any platform you and your student prefer! Make sure you have your students' opinion, because each platform has its ups and downs, and some of them can work better with their equipment.
Here are some examples of platforms you can use:
To schedule your mentoring sessions, we recommend:
For the mentoring sessions, you can use:
First Mentoring
The first mentoring session is a great opportunity to get to know your student better. You can ask questions about their expectations, their hobbies, and their goals for the program. Here's the step by step for the first mentoring session:
Introduction and Goals
- Tell your name and how they should call you
- Where you're from and where you live
- Tell them about what you like to do in your free time
- Share a little bit about your background and your experience with English
- Ask your mentee to introduce themselves
- Ask them about their expectations for the program
- Discuss the program's rules and guidelines
- Set goals for the program
- Plan the next mentoring sessions
Share curiosities
- What English means to you;
- Why did you learn English;
- Why you have decided to be a mentor;
- Experience abroad (if you had).
Get to know each other
To build a connection it's nice to find things you both have in common. Always take notes on what's important for them and you can use during the mentorings;
Here are key questions to get to know your mentee better:
- Why do you want to learn English?
- What do you like to do in your free time?
- What are your favorite types of music?
- What are your favorite kinds of movies and TV shows?
- Do you like reading? What things do you like to read? (books, magazines, comics, newspapers…)
- Do you like traveling? What kind of places do you like to visit?
- Can you share something you like about the place you're from?
- What are the best things about your culture? (music, food, people…?)
- What places in the world would you like to travel to?
- What are your hobbies?
- Do you have a special talent?
- What do you like doing on vacation?
- Can you share a story about a vacation you really enjoyed?
- What are your dreams and plans for the future?
Important Reminders:
- Before you say goodbye, please open your validation form and fill it out together with your mentee. This is the only way to get points for the mentoring session.
- The Mentoring Validation Form will only be available on August 1st. This is also the first mentoring day, which means the students will only get points for the sessions that are following the rules!
- Create meeting invites for all your sessions. This way, you will not forget about them, and your mentee will have the link to the meeting.
Planning a Mentoring
It's normal to have questions about starting a mentorship, but don't worry! We provide training and support materials to guide you through the process.
Steps for Mentoring
Which language should I speak?
We recommend holding the first mentoring session with Beginner and Elementary English level students in Portuguese. This helps create a more comfortable environment, especially since some students may feel nervous speaking English for the first time.
Break the ice
To start your mentoring session, begin by sharing a bit about yourself, such as where you're from, your background, and a fun fact or hobby. Encourage your mentee to do the same. You can also start with a light discussion about recent news or events that are relevant and interesting. This can lead to natural conversation and help you both feel more comfortable.
Next, ask open-ended questions that encourage your mentee to share about themselves. Avoid questions that can be answered with a simple "yes" or "no". Actively listen to their responses and look for common interests or experiences that you can connect with.
Use games like "Two Truths and a Lie" where each person shares two true statements and one false statement about themselves. This can be a fun way to learn more about each other.
When appropriate, ask follow-up questions to delve deeper into their thoughts and experiences. Relate your own experiences sparingly to show empathy and understanding, but ensure the conversation remains focused on their needs and goals.
You can discuss cultural differences or similarities between the region where you live and the region where your mentee lives. This can help both of you learn more about each other's backgrounds and perspectives.
You should always ask your mentee if they have any English related questions or topics they would like to discuss.
Be sure to maintain a positive and encouraging tone throughout the session. Offer words of validation and support to reassure your mentee that you are there to help them succeed.
Plan Activities
You can play a game or read a small book, write and email together, or talk about their classes. Maybe your mentee won't bring you doubts… In case you feel lost and need support material, you can access the mentors' drive to find support material for each level of English. The link is available in the "links" section of the website.
Achieving success in your mentoring sessions requires careful planning and clear goal-setting. By taking the time to prepare personalized reports and asking your mentee about their week beforehand, you can make sure your discussions are focused and relevant. Creating a checklist of topics to cover and prioritizing them can help you stay on track and ensure nothing important is missed. Remember, the more you invest in your mentoring sessions, the more rewarding the experience will be for both you and your mentee.
Other important topics
I have English related questions!
If you have any questions regarding the English classes, homework, or tests, please don't hesitate to contact our Teacher Coordinator.
What if my student needs psychological support?
If you notice that your student may need closer psychological support from our team, you can contact Bruna Santos, head of Counselors.
Soul Clubs
Soul Clubs are for all our network members, including mentors, counselors, teachers and students. The clubs are spaces for sharing experiences, learning, and networking. We have clubs for different interests. If you are interested in joining a club, please let us know.
Why should I join?
- It's an opportunity to practice English in groups through different dynamics: playing games, reading, watching movies, talking about a specific topic
- It's an opportunity to make friends and meet new people
- Connections you won't be able to make any other time at Soul: only in the Soul Clubs there are students, former students, and volunteers
- Be part of something fun with our community
- Get close to our community
Thank you for being part of our team!
If you have any questions or need support, please get in touch with us through your leader or the email below.
