What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a collaborative partnership where a more experienced person, the mentor, guides and supports a less experienced person, the mentee, in their professional development. The mentor shares their knowledge, skills, and experience to help the mentee progress in their career.
- Mentoring is a two-way relationship where both the mentor and mentee actively participate and contribute to the relationship.
- It is based around the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and skills: the mentor shares their expertise and insights, while the mentee learns and grows.
- The aim is professional or personal development, focussing on career goals, skill development, personal growth, or a combination of these areas.
- The mentor provides advice, feedback, and encouragement to help the mentee navigate challenges and achieve their goals.
In recognition of the valuable experience that is participating in a mentoring relationship, we have a mentoring programme set up as part of the Centre for IMPACT and SCIMITAR-SA programmes – you will find the registration links in the Key Links section below.
Please note this scheme is only open to members of these programmes.
Mentoring can have a myriad of benefits for mentees and mentors.
Mentees:
- Gain valuable knowledge and skills
- Receive guidance and support
- Develop their confidence and self-esteem
- Achieve their career goals
Mentors:
- Develop their leadership and coaching skills
- Share their expertise and experience
- Make a positive impact on others
- Build relationships and networks
Why should you be a mentor?
- Hone your communication, active listening, and guidance skills
- Gain new perspectives and insights
- Interacting with a mentee can expose you to new ideas, challenges, and ways of thinking, broadening your own understanding and knowledge.
- Enhance your self-awareness
- Reflecting on your own career journey and sharing your experiences can help you gain a deeper understanding of your own strengths, weaknesses, and values.
- Guide and support the next generation by sharing your knowledge and experience
- Mentoring can also expand your professional network, connecting you with talented individuals who may become valuable colleagues, collaborators, or even future leaders.
- Having a reputation as a good mentor demonstrates a commitment to developing others, and may be useful for your career, as well as benefiting your community
Mentoring can be professionally and personally rewarding, and will positively affect the lives of others. If you have a passion for helping others, enjoy sharing your knowledge and experience, and are looking for a way to make a difference, consider becoming a mentor.
Who is a good mentor for me?
- Someone who has expertise or experience in areas you are interested in developing
- Someone who is interested in helping you achieve your goals
What doesn’t (necessarily) make a good mentor for me?
While you might want a mentor in your field or from the same country as you, this doesn’t automatically make a mentor a good fit for you – keep an open mind when receiving your match.
Key links
- Mentoring contract
- Mentoring presentation
- Sign up to be a mentor
- Sign up to be a mentee
- GACD Toolkit for Mentees
You can also keep a record of your mentoring meetings in your SKILD account.
Learn more about the SkillsForge IMPACT Learning & Development (SKILD) portal
