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What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a developmental relationship focused on learning and growth. It provides an opportunity to share knowledge, skills and experience in a confidential, safe space and explore solutions to challenges. There are also many benefits to mentoring, including developing active listening skills, the art of questioning, and extending your professional network.

The most common mentoring relationships are between a more experienced person (the mentor) and a less experienced person (the mentee). However, mentoring can also be a developmental relationship between peers.

Duration and frequency

We advise that you meet for one hour per month for 12 months as a guideline starting point, but mentors and mentees are free to agree what works best for them based on their circumstances and need.

Joining the Staff Mentoring Programme

If you are interested in becoming a mentee, you will need to attend the 1-hour 45-minute workshop 'Becoming a Mentee: How to get the most from mentoring'. If you are interested in becoming a mentor, you will need to attend the 2-hour workshop 'Effective Skills for Mentors'.

After completing the relevant development session, you will receive a MentorNet sign-up link. View the Staff Mentoring events calendar to see upcoming workshop dates. Please note that we will be scheduling dates for the Autumn term soon. If you would like to be notified when the dates are availble to book, please contact od@sussex.ac.uk. 

MentorNet

MentorNet is a user-friendly digital mentoring tool used by organisations across the world. Designed like a social networking site, MentorNet allows mentors and mentees to create a user profile. Mentees can search for and create meaningful matches with their Mentors - often selected from another School or Division and slightly ahead of the mentee in their career. MentorNet also includes options for identity-based matching, where mentees can seek out mentors that share similar lived experiences.

Mentors set up a profile and choose how many people they would like to mentor - the default is set to three. Mentees set up a profile, then search for and match with prospective mentors. Our administrators review and confirm any matches. Then successful matches can begin their mentoring relationship.

Community of Practice 

Open to all mentors at the University, the Community of Practice (CoP) offers an opportunity for mentors to meet, explore new topics and refresh their skills, share successes and support each other through challenges. The CoP runs on a regular basis. 

• Visit the Community of Practice webpage for further information.
• View the Staff Mentoring events calendar to see upcoming dates.