This programme is based on creating a one-to-one relationship between you and an ACA student. As a mentor you will support a student in their professional journey and helping them to manage their career and improve their skills.
Sessions so far have covered career development and general workplace advice. Having a relationship with someone outside of my company provides an independent source of advice for me and if benefiting greatly already
- Eligibility: You don’t need any mentoring or coaching experience to get involved - simply sharing your own learnings and expertise will have a remarkable impact on the student’s future. You will have access to mentoring resources to help you along the way and how to manage the mentoring sessions.
- Time Commitment: We recommend that your relationship with your mentee runs over a 3 to 6-month period and you offer 2 to 4 hours of support each month, but this all depends on each relationship.
- The Matching Process: We have partnered with Guider a mentoring platform to facilitate the matching progress. You will build your own profile and select areas of support you feel comfortable giving. Guider will match you with a mentee against these areas. Once a potential mentee has been matched, they will reach out to you through the platform to set up an introduction session.
There are many benefits to being a mentor. Not only is it a rewarding experience and an opportunity to gain personal and career development, but research has shown that mentoring has a positive effect on mental health.
This programme is a safe place for the mentee to discuss and elevate issues that may stand in their way. Trust is fundamental part, and this program will give them the opportunity to have honest conversations maybe about potentially sensitive issues.
Useful links
I signed up to help people who were at a particularly critical starting point in their professional career. I met with my mentee virtually and we quickly established a genuine relationship, which then allowed me to share my experience and support but most of all, to be useful for them.