• HIGH IMPACT MENTORING

The Coaching and Mentoring interagency working group is made up of experienced coaching and mentoring specialists that are designing and rolling out mentoring interventions both internally within their own organisation and through our sector facing initiatives. Our aim is to build a base pool of mentors who has access to an innovative network that share good practice and provides opportunities to coach and mentor within different organisational contexts. We believe that the strength of this network has enormous value to the wider sector and through our initiatives we are able to connect people across the humanitarian and international development sector who are interested in mentoring.

We recognise that there are many challenges to managing a Mentoring Programme and so our mentoring toolkit provides organisations with a step-by-step guide to deliver  their own successful formal Mentoring Programme. The models and resources available through this site can support mentors to gain confidence in their ability to support their mentees.

The Across Organisational Mentoring Programme has been established to connect individuals across participating humanitarian / development organisations, drawing on experience across the sector to support professional development through mentoring.

The coaching and mentoring interagency working group acts as a network for the design, development and roll out of the programmes, matching offer and need.

This programme focuses on developing the skills  of mentors to help mentees to build their resilience, develop their leadership capability, unlock their potential and improve performance.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Mentees

  1. Leaders or future leaders in the humanitarian/ development sector
  2. Currently at a mid-level manager role and upwards and have around 5+ years relevant experience
  3. Priority will be given to local staff and partners
  4. Diverse applications are encouraged including, but not limited to applications from females,  persons with disabilities, diverse ethnic backgrounds, and diverse sexual orientation

Mentors

  1. Experienced senior leaders in the humanitarian/ development sector who show an interest in and aptitude for mentoring
  2. Ideally has field experience
  3. Bi-lingual in English, French, Arabic or Spanish preferred
  4. Diverse applications are encouraged including, but not limited to applications from females,  persons with disabilities, diverse ethnic backgrounds, and diverse sexual orientation

EXPECTATIONS

Mentees

  • Attend Briefing Webinar

  • Attend/ respond to check in calls or emails with AFP

  • Attend support sessions

  • It is the mentees responsibility to coordinate meetings with the mentor

  • Spend some time preparing for mentoring sessions

  • Be respectful of the mentors time

  • Complete the end of programme evaluation

Mentors

  • Attend Briefing Webinar & review mentor guide

  • Attend/ respond to check in calls or emails with AFP

  • Agree with mentee how the relationship will be managed

  • Attend regularly mentoring session with mentee

  • Spend some time preparing for mentoring sessions

  • Attend support sessions

  • Complete the end of programme evaluation

MENTORING TOOLKIT

Our Mentoring guidelines and handouts gives organisations a practical how to guide on developing your own mentoring programme. The resources found on the resource pages provide practical guidance to mentors to have effective mentoring conversations and that empower mentees to take ownership of their development.

HOW TO GET YOUR ORGANISATION INVOLVED?

The AOMP programme is currently free for all mentees and mentors. However, the success of this programme is based on the generous donation of time from:

  • Lis Merrick and the rest of the team at Coach Mentoring Ltd. who provide significant pro bono resources.
  • All Agency Focal Points who are committed to engaging with the programme and providing first line support to their organisation’s (and partnering organisations) mentees and mentors.
  • World Vision and Save the Children’s Humanitarian Leadership Academy who have allocated staff time to support the programme.

For further details on how your organisation can get involved, please contact us.

THREE STAGE PROCESS MODEL – A QUESTIONING AND LISTENING FRAMEWORK FOR MENTORS

Mentoring is a developmental dialogue between two people. It is a process of ongoing support and development, which can tackle issues and problems identified by the mentee. Having a mentor can be one of the most powerful developmental relationships a person will ever experience. The three stage process is a questioning and listening model that can be used for mentoring. It is useful because it’s a fluid, straightforward framework.

The process rarely moves in a straight line from stage one to stage three. More often, the conversation moves about between all the stages. The three stage process can be viewed as a map of mentoring, both for a specific mentoring session and  for the duration of the relationship. A map shows the way and helps us to plan a route, and it can help us to find where we are when we get lost.

There can be a temptation to get to the Action Planning Stage as quickly as possible but often the quality and the commitment to the action is dependent on the quality of stage one and two. Summarising regularly can help to establish the boundaries between each stage and move the conversation either on, or back into the previous stage. It is helpful to share the process within your relationship so that you both understand what is happening.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the three stage process is that, with practice, it becomes very natural and does not seem like an intrusive technique.

Exploration

This begins with opening up the conversation with an open question. It’s about building rapport, paying attention to your mentee and supporting the exploration – be patient; investment in time/care at this stage can pay dividends later. This can be achieved by:

  • You taking the lead by listening.
  • Paying attention to the relationship and developing it.
  • Clarifying the aims and objectives of your mentoring.
  • Supporting the exploration.

Things you might say or ask in the Exploration Stage:

  • What would you like to talk about?
  • Tell me more about that…
  • What you seem to be saying is…. (paraphrase/ summarise). Have I got this right?
  • Which of these areas would you find most helpful to talk about?

New understanding

The mentor has now confirmed with the mentee which issues are
important to the mentee. The mentor encourages the mentee to reflect on their issues and gives constructive feedback. This should help the mentee to see things from different perspectives and decide what to do next. Ways to do this include:

  • Checking out the situation and summarising.
  • Encouraging reframing and rethinking of the situation.
  • Flagging up key learnings.
  • Introducing challenge appropriately.

Things you might ask or say in the New Understanding stage:

  • You said that you want to move forward yet you have not taken any action as yet (challenge). What is preventing you from taking that first step?
  • That sounds like a useful insight. Does it sound like one to you?
  • Now that we are clear about the issue, what do you see as your options?

Action planning

The first two stages can take a while and may be more than one session, depending on the complexity of the issue/quality of conversation. Not every meeting will end in an ‘action plan’, and the only action may be to reflect on the discussions and meet again. The mentee is responsible for the issue and the mentor is there to support and guide them. The mentor can help in the Action Planning stage by:

  • Helping to make decisions and solve problems.
  • Encouraging practical application of options and choices.
  • Agreeing action plans.
  • Building commitment to action.

Things you might say or ask in the Action Planning stage:

  • Let’s look at the pros and cons of this option.
  • How committed to this are you on a scale of 1-10? (If not 10, what needs to happen to make it 10?)
  • When are you going to do this by?
  • What do you need to do first?
  • Whose help do you need?

Flash Mentoring is a short-term form of mentoring that is centered around tactical one-time meetings that provide knowledge or skills when a mentee need them, rather than a traditional, long-term mentoring relationship…

Click here to learn more about

Flash Mentoring
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