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• • What is mentoring?
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Mentoring

These pages provide practical guidance, resources and advice for those who wish to participate in or establish mentoring schemes in Schools or Divisions at the University.

Why mentoring?

Mentoring is a powerful method of professional development; it can benefit individuals across all job roles and functions, within any department or discipline. Mentoring skills can also be useful in many day-to-day work interactions, so you do not have to be engaged in a formal mentoring arrangement to benefit from the information here.

Find out more about mentoring and how it works.

Mentoring at the University of Sussex

We have an active central mentoring programme open to all staff at the University. The scheme looks to match mentees with suitable mentors from across the University. Mentors will usually be selected from another School or Division and be slightly ahead of the mentee in their career.

Mentoring takes place for one hour per month for up to a year. For more information on how to join, please see the side bar.

Mentors are supported with training and a regular Community of Practice to meet other mentors from across the University and build capability. Mentees can attend a one-hour introductory workshop on how to make the most of their mentoring experience. Both workshops can be booked on Eventbrite:

Mentor Workshop

Mentee Workshop

There are also a number of other mentoring schemes at the University, these include: the Library mentoring scheme, early-career mentoring for researchers from the Research Office, Sussex Alumni as well as academic mentoring in schools (contact Schools directly for more information).

Cross-institution mentoring

We have a reciprocal relationship with the University of Brighton with regards to mentoring. If you are a prospective mentor or mentee and would like to be matched with someone from Brighton, please specify this on your mentoring registration form and we will look to find you a suitable match.

Community of Practice for Mentoring

The Mentoring Community of Practice (CoP) meets to discuss mentoring experiences, share best practice and build mentoring capability. If you are an existing mentor or have an interest in becoming one, you are very welcome to attend. The next sessionis booked for 7 December from 12-1 pm.Book here.

For more information about CoP, please see About the Community of Practice for Mentors [DOCX 16.91KB].

See the sidebar to book a place on the next CoP meeting.

Download slide decks from previous meetings of the Mentoring Community of Practice:

• January 2019 - opening meeting
• April 2019 -  'Mentoring Boundaries'
• May 2019 - 'Powerful Questions'
• July 2019 - 'The Role of Goals in Mentoring'
• October 2019 - 'Listening to Inspire'
• January 2020 - 'GROW model'
• May 2020 - 'Appreciative Inquiry'
• July 2020 - 'The role of mentoring in a VUCA world'
• April 2021 - 'Mindfulness Chats' [PPT 4.31MB]
• October 2021 - 'Mentoring Through Change'
• February 2022 - Cultural Competence in Mentoring - Jane Portlock

Get involved with mentoring

This site provides a framework for those who wish to get involved with mentoring as a mentor or mentee. Please see the side bar on how to join the Staff Mentoring Programme.

Organisational Development is running a number of workshops for mentors over the next academic year. Please log into Sussex Direct here to see the upcoming dates and book a place.