YBPF Mentoring Programme FAQ

What is the YBPF Mentoring Programme?

Mentoring programmes connect people who have specific skills and knowledge, so in this case, Mentors/BP Fellows with individual Mentees/Young BP Fellows, who need or want the same skills and advantages to move up in life, work, skills level, or school performance. Participants will share their values and personal goals in a mutually respectful, supportive way, which aims to enrich both of their lives. A successful mentoring programme can help break down barriers and create opportunities for success.

What is the difference between training and mentoring?
Training is generally delivered according to a predetermined curriculum, with the trainee carrying the burden of meeting the curriculum's deliverables.  Mentoring is a more customised activity, that assigns deliverables to the Mentor as well as to the Mentee.  In addition, the role of Mentor may be to serve as a "role model," whereas the role of a trainer is generally to deliver a specific content without having a "partnership" with the trainee.

What is the benefit of this Mentoring Programme?
The Young BP Fellows who will participate as Mentees in this programme will benefit from advice, guidance and coaching from a Mentor, as well as formal and informal networking opportunities.

Are there any requirements to be a Mentee?
Any Young BPF Fellow could be a Mentee (although, please note that there are limited spaces on the pilot programme). The Mentee must be willing to accept constructive feedback from their mentors related to their resume/CV, career goals, objectives and commit themselves to continuous growth and improvement in work skills and values in order to get the most out of this programme. View a summary of what to expect from the programme here.

Are there any requirements to be a Mentor?
Any BPF could be a Mentor (although, please note that there are limited spaces on the pilot programme). The Mentor should commit to at least a one hour meeting every two weeks with a YBPF Mentee. Mentors find themselves acting as guides, demonstrators of new skills and a coach reinforcing positive accomplishments.

One of the most significant contributions a Mentor can make is to help the Mentee develop career goals and to move toward the realisation of these goals. Mentors agree to provide feedback on the Mentee’s individual development plan, goals and objectives. Mentors should be professional and straightforward at all times and are asked to keep all personal and work discussions confidential. Mentors should be honest, committed, respectful of their Mentees, and willing to share their time and experiences with them. Effective evaluation is a significant trait of a good mentoring relationship. View a summary of what to expect from the programme here.

Who will assign me the Mentor-Mentee?
The Mentoring Programme Team will match Mentors with Mentees, to the greatest extent possible based on their interests and goals as shared on their Application Forms. The process for the pilot phase (March–August 2021) has now closed.

Who is on the Mentoring Programme Team?
The YBPF Task Force members and WSF staff involved in this project.

What is the mission of the Mentoring Programme Team?
The Mentoring Programme Team’s mission is to create connections between YBPF and BPF so that they can share knowledge, information, skills and perspective across a range of personal and professional experiences, empowering them to reach their full potential.

What if I don’t apply on time for the Mentoring Programme?
The deadline to register for the pilot is Tuesday 23 February. The selection process and matches will be made after this date, so if you are seriously interested, please don’t hesitate to register as soon as possible. (N.B. This process has now closed.)

The pilot phase will be run for a limited number of Mentees and Mentors. Learning from this phase will be used to inform future phases, provided that the programme runs successfully. So, if you’re not part of the first phase, hopefully there will be other opportunities at a later date. We will take note of everyone interested in this first stage so that if there is a greater demand than places available, we can re-contact you later in the year once the pilot is coming to an end to see if you might wish to be involved at that point.

How will mentoring matches be made?
The mentoring matches will be made based on the electronic application and matching procedures. Mentors and Mentees will apply though their respective forms. Every Mentor-Mentee match will be confirmed by the Mentoring Programme Team, to ensure they would be a good fit according to the information available. After the Mentoring Programme Team makes the matches, it will send an email to both partners, introducing them and providing additional information and instructions for the partnership.

How long will this last?
The pilot will last for 6 months (March to August 2021), starting once matches have been made. Then, if successful, an annual programme will potentially be launched from September 2021 onwards. Mentoring partnerships will be actively supported by the WSF. The time invested will depend on the goals and availability of the participants. Participants may choose to continue their relationship beyond the WSF time frame on their own, by mutual agreement. A calendar for the pilot phase is available here.

How will I communicate with my partner? Will we need to meet face-to-face?
Communications are at the expense of the participants; we recommend having Zoom or Meet sessions to promote better interaction, but communications could also take place via email or telephone.

Do I have to be a YBPF or BPF to participate?
Yes, you may only apply if you are a Member of the Baden-Powell Fellowship.

What if I still have questions or challenges?
The Task Force is here to help! Contact us: [email protected]