The Components of On-Site Mentoring Contracts: Perceptions of Israeli Mentors and School Counseling Interns

This study examined the perceptions of 159 on-site mentor counselors and 172 school counseling interns from four graduate programs in Israel regarding the main components of working contracts during school-based internships. Qualitative analysis led to data clustering into four broad categories: a) rules and procedures; b) the intern’s work: objectives, content and boundaries; c) the mentoring relationship; and d) ethical standards of practice. Differences between mentors and interns within each category are discussed as well as the possibility of developing a standardized core contract as a platform from which to negotiate unique customized contracts.