Involvement of Students in Mentoring: on the Example of Preparation of Schoolchildren for the Olympiads in Chemistry

The work examines the phenomenon of mentoring development using the case of the Regional Public Organization “Association of Mentors of the Olympiad Movement” (ANOD) in the Republic of Bashkortostan. Based on 25 semi-structured interviews with members of the association, features of motivation and involvement in mentoring and reasons for leaving were identified. The most productive way of becoming a mentor in the Olympiad movement has been identified as a transition from the Olympiad participant’s own experience through the position of an assistant mentor to the independent position of a mentor. Moreover, starting from high school. Olympians do not experience methodological difficulties when starting teaching: they themselves have undergone successful training and are willing to share it. Despite the proactive position of mentors and their willingness to work even for free and overtime, they encounter difficulties that may cause them not to achieve their goals, and at the same time, leaving mentoring. The article will be useful for educational managers to involve students in the implementation of mentoring and the development of the Olympiad movement in schools.