Becoming a Mentor
Bringing together the expertise, skill and goodwill of local professional leaders to support community enterprises in Oxfordshire
Are you interested in becoming a mentor? The not-for-profit sector is being called upon to shoulder more responsiblities as government funding is curtailed. The managers of these organisations require a multiplicity of skills and experience, and they usually have scant resources and little time. Typically they manage complex strategic challenges at the same time as operational firefighting in what seems to be an increasingly difficult environment. This can be a lonely and difficult experience.
What we are looking for?
Charity Mentors are senior leaders with strategic management experience in any sector. They also have knowledge of the particular challenges of the voluntary sector. Mentors will typically:
- Have experience of management/strategy and will have held CEO-type roles with an overall responsibility for organisational strategy.
- Have experience with the voluntary sector.
- Have experience of, and an aptitude for, mentoring/coaching, sitting alongside and enabling.
- Be willing to operate within Charity Mentors model, including; project outline (short-term, strategic, specific goals), come to at least two of the four annual mentor meetings, be in a position to respond to emails in a timely fashion (48 hours maximum), provide feedback at the end of the mentoring project, and 6-weekly progress reports.
- Have availability: ability to complete 2 mentoring projects a year.
- Be able and willing to offer help pro bono.
We are also looking for a spread in terms of specific experience, skills and interests to ensure that we have the capacity to meet different needs. We are seeking individuals who might not otherwise be accessible to mentees and who are willing to work with a range of organisations across different sectors and of different sizes (both small to large).
Why do our current mentors do it?
“It’s a great opportunity to use my skills and experience in a really direct way. I don’t know of anything else quite like this that is offered to the voluntary sector in Oxfordshire.”
“Because I am free to set meeting times and venues with my mentee, we can choose times that are mutually convenient. This makes it less time constraining than being a trustee where trustee meeting times have to be fixed to accommodate a larger number of people. It is easier for me to fit in other commitments.”
“The mentees that I have worked with are really interesting: entrepreneurial and creative. They are facing very tough times and they need support in navigating these difficult conditions”.
“It is a really interesting and useful way for me to give back and I’ve met some great people – the mentees and my fellow mentors.”
What is the time commitment?
- We aim to complete a project within four to five months, but durations vary.
- Within the project duration, the number of meetings will also vary. Anything from one or two, to five or six. It is important to keep momentum with your mentee.
- Most meetings last between one to two hours.
- We ask that mentors try to take on at least two projects per year. The more you do, the more you get out of it!
- We also organise 4 mentor meetings a year. This is a chance to get to know your fellow mentors and to develop and hone approaches to particular issues.