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This article was first published on September 10th, 2007.
Following on from last year’s highly successful Group Mentoring Scheme, we decided to run it again this year. This year four groups are involved - two developed and two designated as developing: - Lisdoonan Recreation & Development, Knockatallon Development Association, Rockcorry Development Association and Inniskeen Enterprise Development Group.
The key aim is to facilitate the establishment of a mentoring relationship between matched developing and developed groups.
Mentoring as a concept is usually associated with individuals where one person (mentor) who has more experience in a particular field mentors another individual (mentee). The Group Mentoring Scheme advances this concept further by engaging developed groups to share the benefits of their experience and knowledge with developing groups, on a one to one/group to group basis.
We envisage that each group will benefit significantly from their participation. For the developed groups, they receive direct mentoring support from In2it Consulting, the consultants contracted to deliver the programme and at the same time gain the experience of mentoring another group. For the developing groups, they too receive support from the Consultants and have meetings with their developed mentor group to establish the mentoring relationship.’
This year’s Scheme commenced in April. Before embarking on it, each participant group received a presentation from either Gerard Callan or myself. This presentation outlined the purpose of the Scheme, its benefits and the level of commitment involved so that each group could make an informed choice about participating.
The programme consists of 50 hours mentoring support – and should be sufficient to enable the groups to reap substantial rewards. These hours will be made up of the time spent by In2it providing direct mentoring support to groups but also will include the hours spent by the consultants facilitating joint meetings between each pair of developed and developing groups to enable the mentoring relationship to be established. One of the major benefits from the outset is that the Consultants provide support on site to the groups; they go to the group’s community building at times that suit the group. The Scheme will formally end in November, but we hope the developing groups involved, will be left with an ally and mentor in their own county to draw upon their experience and knowledge when needed.
Regina Tinnelly
Community Outreach Worker
County Monaghan Partnership
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