Mentoring
Our Mentoring Programme is designed to assist in the development of commercial and people skills, confidence, strategic thinking and performance. Mentoring, and the use of simple coaching techniques, can enhance the culture of any organisation by helping people to realise their potential.
Every year there are places for six mentors and six mentees, with training provided by a skilled expert, all online.
The programme is free, and your organisation must be a Member of the Association to qualify.
Applications for the 2023-24 programme are now closed. Applications for next year will open in early 2024.
View the Prospectus
Who can be a mentee?
- May be in a junior, supervisor, management, or head of department role
- Can come from any area of the sector, based in any location at any age
- We welcome people from under-represented groups within the cultural sector
- We also encourage people not usually in a position of leadership or management, who want to develop skills and confidence
Who can be a mentor?
- May be a head of department, team leader, or director/CEO
- Has some line management or leadership experience
- Gets a sense of satisfaction from helping others develop and learn
- Someone who wants to ‘give back’ to the wider community and the cultural sector
- Wishes to develop their own mentoring and leadership skills, including emotional intelligence
“I never thought I’d be fortunate enough to be chosen to take part in the mentoring programme but I am so glad I applied! I couldn’t be happier with my experience so far and have found the programme very rewarding, leaving each session motivated and inspired. My mentor has certainly made me feel more confident within my work and the knowledge I have gained will be invaluable in the future”
Alice Escott, Mentee 2020
Shop Supervisor, Exeter Cathedral“I have found it immensely rewarding being part of this programme. Importantly, it was very well set up: the training from Mark was superbly delivered and thought-provoking, with lots of useful resources to refer back to. But of course, the biggest reason it’s been so good overall is because of the enjoyment and satisfaction I get from speaking regularly with my brilliant mentee.”
Steve Gardam, Mentor 2020
Director, Roald Dahl MuseumFor mentees
Included in the programme is a half-day mentee training session with our mentoring expert, to help you get the most out of the experience and think about how to set your goals.
For mentors
Not only is this a valuable opportunity to pass on your experience and give something back to the sector, but integrating simple performance coaching techniques can help you to get the best out of your team. You will: