New Heroes is an online platform where people can work on their personal development. To this end we have a multitude of training courses aimed at developing communication, leadership and social skills.

What is a supporter?

A participant can invite someone to support them during tasks in the training course. The supporter can be someone from the participant’s own environment, whom he or she believes can help with their task. You have been asked by the participant to be his or her supporter.

What is my role as a supporter?

Being asked to be a supporter is an honour. Whether you are family, a friend or a colleague. You can help the other person by giving feedback, participating in their task or by motivating them. What exactly is expected of you will be explained in the invitational email.

What do I have to know?

You need to know that the person who invited you is working on a skill that he or she wants to improve. So, be mindful of the following:

• You do not need to be an expert.
• Be honest when providing feedback. Also note that feedback is only given in written form, so the participant can’t see your facial expression, nor hear your tone of voice. Be aware of the words you choose to use in your feedback.
• Give a compliment every now and then. It is a great motivator.

Am I capable of being a supporter?

There is a reason why the participant invited you to be their supporter. They value your input.

However, do you still doubt if you are cut out to be someone’s supporter? Then answer the following questions:

1. Do you want to help the participant?
2. Are you willing to give honest feedback?

If your answers to both these questions are ‘yes’, then you definitely have the capacities to be a supporter!

How much of my time do I have to invest?

That depends on how much time you choose to spend on supporting. You can give feedback once-off, in only a few minutes or, if you prefer to be more involved, you can check in on the participant on a daily basis. Whatever suits you. (See also: Can I do more to help the person who I’m supporting?)

Tip: choose a quiet moment, when you can calmly focus on the supporter’s question. As soon as you click ‘send’, the participant will receive your feedback.

Can I do more to help the person who I'm supporting?

As a supporter you will become involved in one or more, of the training courses. Your role becomes even more influential when, every now and then, you ask the participant how his or her journey is going along. That can be done in person, but also via email or a short message. It is by staying involved that the participant feels supported. And that, in turn, motivates them to persevere.

What happens to my feedback?

Your feedback is safely stored within the training course of the person who invited you. He or she is the only one who can see your responses.

What should I do if I do not want to be a supporter?

It can happen that you simply do not have the time or the energy to be a supporter. And although it is a pity, it isn’t a problem. However, it is a good idea to inform the person who invited you about your decision. That let’s the participant know that they shouldn’t be expecting any feedback from you and gives them the opportunity to ask someone else.