The CSP mentoring platform offers members support via an online hub and is currently available to all chartered, associate and retired members, as well as international affiliates and final year students.
The mentors are volunteers, and any references to private businesses are not an endorsement.
What is mentoring?
Mentoring is a relationship in the form of a mentor supporting the personal and professional development of a mentee.
Benefits of mentoring
Mentoring will enable you to focus on career progression, develop new skills and overcome challenges with someone more experienced than you. It is also an opportunity to gain impartial advice, an alternative perspective and a non-judgemental sounding board for ideas.
Mentors benefit from seeing others grow by sharing your experience and knowledge, consolidating your knowledge and opportunities to work on new challenges.
Things to consider
Before approaching a mentor, consider the skills you need and what you would like to achieve. Or, as a mentor, you need to consider the skills and knowledge you can offer. You will also need to reflect on your preferred learning styles and the time required for meetings and preparation.
Forming a mentoring relationship
Once you’ve registered onto the mentoring platform, you will be asked to complete a profile and form. Profiles are used for matching mentees to mentors, so you must be clear on what skills, knowledge and expertise you are looking for/can offer. Mentees can then send a mentoring request to their desired mentor or ask questions before submitting a formal request.
At the start of a mentoring relationship, you and your mentor/mentee will agree to a mentoring contract. It’s important to note that, as members, you are accepting the professional values and behaviours agreed by the Society.
Resources available
The platform includes videos, guides and tools to support your mentoring, including SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), STAR (situation, task, action, result) and goals templates for need analysis.
Useful resources
Contact details
If you've got any questions about the mentoring platform, please email education@csp.org.uk; or call enquiries on 0207 306 6666.