Join the GrowBiz Mentoring Programme
Could you join the GrowBiz mentoring programme on National Mentoring Day today?
The programme has just been reaccredited to receive the highly-regarded Scottish Mentoring Network Project Quality Award after an assessment process.
GrowBiz remains the only enterprise organisation in Scotland to hold this award, which demonstrates that the GrowBiz mentoring programme operates to the highest standard and provides an example of best practice in the mentoring field. It highlights our commitment to providing the best support we possibly can to both our mentees and volunteer mentors.
GrowBiz Mentoring Coordinator, Shareon Gordon, says: “It’s wonderful to see how much satisfaction our volunteer mentors get from helping others and giving back to the rural business community in this way. We make sure it’s a rewarding experience for them, with the opportunity to form new and meaningful relationships, boost their own confidence and well as their mentee’s, and explore new opportunities.”
“I especially enjoy experiencing the reactions to the mentor training we provide. There’s often a real ‘penny drop’ moment where participants realise the value of what they’ve just learned, not only for mentoring but for communicating in daily life.”
“I especially enjoy experiencing the reactions to the mentor training we provide. There’s often a real ‘penny drop’ moment where participants realise the value of what they’ve just learned, not only for mentoring but for communicating in daily life.”
Shareon Gordon, GrowBiz Mentoring Coordinator
Anyone with experience of running a business, managing a team, training or community work is invited to consider whether they could get involved in the programme as a volunteer mentor for one hour a month or whatever they can manage.
One volunteer mentor says this about the experience: “I was mentored throughout my career, formally or informally, and it was invaluable in helping me to progress. I became a mentor with GrowBiz so that I could give back to the community and support others in the same way.
“The mentoring training programme was robust—it was informative, I made new friends and colleagues and learned new skills. I felt well equipped and supported to start mentoring.
“Mentoring reminded me to value the work I put in to developing my own consultancy career and how valuable it has been for my mentee for me to share my knowledge and experience with integrity—warts and all!
“It helped me to reflect on and systematise my own knowledge and experience to enhance my own learning journey. I would definitely recommend joining the GrowBiz mentoring programme.”
“Mentoring reminded me to value the work I put in to developing my own consultancy career and how valuable it has been for my mentee for me to share my knowledge and experience with integrity—warts and all!
“It helped me to reflect on and systematise my own knowledge and experience to enhance my own learning journey. I would definitely recommend joining the GrowBiz mentoring programme.”
A mentee said this about the support provided from having a mentor: “It’s been very comforting having a mentor, someone to have an informal regular catch up with. My mentor and I catch up online every 6 weeks for 30-60 minutes and have done for the past 7 months.
“It’s a free / voluntary service which takes the pressure off and removes any bias. For me it’s a safe space where I can share my immediate business journey and experiences and gain a wider perspective.
“It helps me feel that while I am the one jumping in at the deep end of building my small rural business, there is someone on the shore that I can swim back to now and again to cross check my direction from a wider vantage point”.