Starting your own mentoring program Sharing is Caring: Starting your own mentoring program Southeast Region Forum – Birmingham, AL – March 31-April 1, 2017 Karen Hager, CIT, CBT Greater Orlando Chapter 73

What is a mentor? a wise and trusted counselor or teacher An influential senior sponsor or supporter Adviser, master, guide, preceptor Almost anyone you would like to emulate

What is a protégé? A person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person One who is protected or trained or whose career is furthered by a person of experience, prominence, or influence

What do I need first?

What are the steps? Form a committee Determine the length of your program Do you want a formal or informal program Gather participants Pair mentors and proteges together Hold orientation session And away you go……

Form a committee Committee should consist of 3-5 long term members Committee Members should be familiar with membership Committee members should meet to pair members and protegees For Participant orientation Mid year evaluation to do a final evaluation of the program and determine if improvements are needed May have immediate past president be designated committee chair

Determine length of your program When will you start your program How long will the program last Will you have a review for the membership at the end of the program Will your program span nawic years

Formal or informal? Do you want a formal program? Determine if members will work with the formal guidebook and meet regularly Determine if members will work with the forms provided so you have good feedback Do you want in informal program? Determine if members will be allowed to develop their relationship on their own Determine if members will do the program at their own pace without any time frame Do you want to include a group mentoring program? This is an option that allows you to gather as a group and mentor each other in a more relaxed setting

Gather participants Start talking about the program during your last and first membership meetings of the nawic year Determine if you are going to limit program to specific categories Determine how you are going to find out who will be participating You can do a survey You can use a mentoring board You can have a sign-up sheet Allow members at least two months to be able to sign up

Pair mentors and proteges Have the committee gather together to determine which mentors and proteges will work well together Determine compatibility by: Skill sets Geographic location Personality If a mentor or protégé has listed more than one category, find out if they want to limit to only one or do more

Orientation session Immediately after pairing, inform participants Schedule an orientation session to allow mentors and protégés to meet Provide handbooks to both mentors and protégés for their use Allow pairs time to determine their game plan How often they will meet If they will meet in person or if they will converse by phone Where they may meet

Mid program review Have program participants fill out mid year review questionnaire Determine if participants are still well matched or if they need to be paired with someone else Are participants still involved? If not…why?

End of program Determine if you are going to have a formal review for the membership do a panel discussion during a membership meeting have participants fill out a survey and report to membership Have individual participants talk about their experience in the program Hold a post program committee meeting to talk about how the program went and to determine if any changes need to be made

Questions?