| Mentoring scheme |
| Mentoring - take part |
| Step Up |
| Training directory |
 |
Send this page to a friend |
 |
Add to my favourites |
 |
Make this my homepage |
|
Mentoring scheme 'Mentoring is the single biggest, most important tool in professional development.' The AMA mentoring scheme provides all the training and support you need to get the most out of your mentoring relationships To join the scheme you must be an AMA member and retain your membership for the duration of your mentoring relationship (up to 2 years).  What is mentoring and how does it work? Mentoring is the process by which one person assists another to grow and learn in a safe and sympathetic environment. The word 'mentor' has become synonymous with 'trusted adviser', 'friend', 'teacher' and 'wise person'. History offers many examples of helpful mentoring relationships such as Socrates and Plato, Haydn and Beethoven, Freud and Jung. A mentor and mentee usually meet up once every two months for between one and two hours. Participants on the AMA mentoring scheme also use email and the telephone to communicate in between face-to-face meetings. It is up to the mentor and mentee to agree a contact programme that is mutually convenient. The mentee would usually be expected to travel to meet the mentor. The average length of a productive mentoring relationship is two years, but you can continue your mentoring relationship beyond this if you want to. As with all relationships, some mentoring relationships will be successful and others will not. If a mentoring relationship is not going to make the course, then the AMA will help those participants to understand why, and if possible set them up in another mentoring relationship. Become a mentor 
'Now I am a mentor, I can understand why people were so generous with their time to me, because there's no better feeling than having a mentee... the feeling of satisfaction, I really couldn't describe to you.'Being a mentor is a challenging, stimulating and hugely rewarding experience. You develop coaching and counseling skills that are transferable to your personal and professional life. Mentoring can revitalise your interest in your current work - and you inevitably get a greater understanding of key issues through reflection with your mentee. There is no great mystery to being a good mentor. Successful mentors usually have a genuine interest in helping others develop, and an ability to work in an unstructured programme. If you would like to be a mentor, you will receive training and on-going support. Why not give it a go? If you would like to be a mentor, you should have at least 5 years' experience in arts marketing or have completed one year as a mentee on the AMA mentoring scheme. If you have already taken part in a previous AMA mentoring scheme as a mentee, you need to attend a training day before becoming a mentor. Some myths about being a mentor… ***Myth 1: Only someone as wise and knowledgeable as Merlin can be a mentor. Research has shown that just about anyone can be a mentor. As a mentor, it’s not necessarily about having all the information at your fingertips so that you can give the correct answer to any query your mentee might have. Indeed, part of being a mentor is about prompting your mentee to find out the answers to their own questions. The training day that all mentees and mentors have to undertake before participating in the scheme will give you the chance to brush up on mentoring techniques you probably already use in your job without even realising. Also, we aim to pair mentees with mentors who have five to fifteen years more professional experience, so the chances of mentors being in a situation where they are completely lost for a response are very few, and of course the AMA office is always on hand for advice and other information. ***Myth 2: Mentors need to have loads of spare time to devote to their mentee. There is a time commitment, but generally it’s a small one – perhaps a 90 minute face to face meeting (with the mentee usually travelling to the mentor) once every eight weeks or so. Emails and an occasional telephone call in between meetings can also be useful. AMA mentors and mentees are encouraged to lay the ground rules for their relationship at the beginning, so that the regular meetings can be scheduled to a mutually beneficial timescale, and that lines of communication are used that are convenient with both parties. ***Myth 3: Mentors do not get anything from being in a mentoring relationship Mentoring contributes to the professional development of both parties. Mentees in the AMA scheme have benefited from the support and guidance offered by their mentors, and mentors have commented on how much the skills they use and practice with their mentees have improved their relationships with colleagues, and positively affected their management style. Everyone’s a winner! Want to be mentored? 'She believed in me. She believed that I could do anything.' Having a mentor will build your self-confidence and increase your motivation through sharing experiences and getting one-to-one feedback. In working with your mentor you will benefit from their knowledge and experience, which in turn will help you develop your skills as an arts marketer. Some mentors can be a source of useful contacts and provide you with advice and help in career progression. This can be extremely useful in a field like arts marketing. You will receive training and on-going support. This is long-term training, tailored to needs identified by you. We aim to find a mentor for any participating AMA mentee - wherever you live, and whatever your job. How to take part Go to the next page for details on how to take part in the scheme, FAQ and evaluation form downloads and further reading and useful links.  |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Terms and conditions Copyright 2007 Arts Marketing Association |
About | Events | Services | Networking | Membership Arts Marketing Association, 7a Clifton Court, Clifton Road, Cambridge CB1 7BN Tel: 01223 578078 Fax: 01223 245862 Email: info@a-m-a.co.uk |
 |