The launch of the AOMP mentoring pilot was in April 2016 with eleven mentoring pairs across several countries and six Humanitarian and Development Organisations. After that a further programme has been delivered in 2017, with planning for the 2018 cohort ongoing for an October launch.
Participating organisations in 2017 included:
- British Red Cross,
- War Child,
- CAFOD,
- Unicef UK,
- Save the Children,
- UNHCR,
- WaterAid,
- World Vision and
- Plan International.
Looking forward, we hope more organisations will join the programme.
All participants are briefed on the process and skills of mentoring through webinars and individual virtual sessions, set at times to allow access across different time zones. A comprehensive workbook for mentors and mentees is provided as an additional resource.
Several weeks after the matching is announced and the programme launched we contact everyone for a soft-touch check-in to ensure that everyone has started their mentoring relationship, offering further support if required. We also contact them on another two occasions to gain feedback on progress and their thoughts on the mentoring programme overall, which feeds into delivery of future programmes.
Why do Mentors join the programme?
Mentors join the programme mainly to give something back and for professional development, with the majority having mentored before. Maintaining contact with each other is mainly through Skype and email. However, a few are able to meet face-to-face when located geographically close to each other.
How do mentees benefit from the AOMP?
Mentees state that the roles their mentors mostly adopted are:
- ‘thinking partner’,
- ‘professional friend’,
- ‘guide’ and
- ‘sounding board’,
The areas discussed included:
- their current role,
- personal development,
- career planning,
- self-awareness/insights and
- skills, knowledge and interpersonal skills.
Moreover, they acknowledged that the inter-organisation element of the programme was highly beneficial. They felt that they may not have received as much benefit had it been in-house only. In conclusion, the benefits included having a better understanding of how Humanitarian/Development organisations operate, and feeling part of a bigger network.
Mentee Quote:
“My mentor has provided an impartial yet experienced view on the career decisions that I have had over the past six months, which has really helped me to be better informed and more confident in making them.”
Mentor Quote:
“This initiative is highly valuable and positively impacts and builds capacity of more junior staff (the mentee), as well as refreshing the skills and knowledge of senior staff (the mentor)”.
What next?
Perhaps your organisation would benefit from an injection of thoughts and ideas from others? At Coach Mentoring Ltd we love to help organisations develop their talent, so get in touch today!
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