M-NOW’s mentoring programme is aiming to promote and inspire women at all stages of their career from the first job experience, over career moves, work life balance, aspiring to leadership positions and to improving their leadership skills.
M-NOW’s mentoring programme is set-up as a personal relationship between mentor and mentee mediated by M-NOW.
The match between mentor and mentee is made by M-NOW based on a standard application form with the skills and the interests of the mentor and the goals and wishes of the mentee.
The match is not necessarily with someone of the same education or similar position as some diversity can provide valuable new insights and perspectives. M-NOW is open for both male and female mentors.
The mentoring programme is suggested to be consisting of 4-6 meetings over a period of 5 months. Each meeting is expected to last 1.5 hours. We recommend the meetings to be held at the office of the mentor, at least the first meeting. The venue for the follow up meetings can be agreed on by the mentor and mentee.
We automatically end the mentoring process after 5 months – if you want to continue to meet each other, you just agree to do so. However, M-NOW would recommend making a formal end of the mentorship programme and if desired by both parts, set new goals for the continued collaboration. Setting a clear framework for the collaboration is important to align expectations and to ensure to achieve the goals within the set frame.
At the end of the mentorship period both parties will receive a short evaluation form to where they can evaluate the process so that we can improve the programme.
This is a volunteer-based programme and no costs related to the mentoring programme will be paid by M-NOW except for what is mentioned in these guidelines.
Mentor’s role is to be a neutral sounding board and a professional conversation partner, a competent friend that can help mentee explore challenges and promote their career by asking questions and sharing experiences from your career. The wishes and topics raised by the mentee are always centre stage.
As a mentor, you are responsible for ensuring that expectations are aligned from the start, to act as a
sparring partner with a good balance between exploring the topics brought forward by the mentee and
sharing your experience with your mentee. Mentor is also responsible for addressing confidentiality issues related to the mentor process.
At the heart of your role as a mentor is understanding where the mentee is coming from and what they want to achieve. Effective mentoring means listening actively, asking thoughtful questions, and sharing relevant experiences without dominating the conversation. Your role is to support reflection, broaden perspectives, and help the mentee explore possible paths forward. The mentee is always the one to decide how to address challenges and shape their professional journey.
Mentors are volunteering and you decide whether you can support one or more mentees and you can always take a break before committing to a new mentee. Generally, the experience of being a mentor is that it develops you as well as mentee. The joy of seeing someone progress as a result of your support is very fulfilling and along the way you, as a mentor, develop your communication skills, gain useful insights in other parts of the industry, as well as insights into how various expectations and actions may be perceived by others and it increases your self-awareness around your own worklife. You are motivated by observing and supporting others thrive and improve in their career.
We expect mentors to have at least five years of work experience within their field of work.
Are you a woman ready to grow professionally and gain fresh perspectives? Whether you are a recent graduate, an early-career professional,
or an aspiring leader, the M-NOW Mentorship Program is designed to support your next step.
To get the most out of the mentorship experience, mentees are expected to take initiative by scheduling meetings and setting clear goals for the process. Flexibility is important, including being open to the mentor’s preferences regarding time and place for meetings. Mentees should come prepared for each session and engage actively in discussions. They are encouraged to reflect on the insights gained and apply them in their professional development. Participation in the program requires a commitment of five months, including a minimum of four one-on-one mentoring sessions, as well as group workshops and activities.
Mentees receive a goal-setting template to define clear, measurable objectives at the start of the program.
If you have any questions related to being a mentor or a mentee in M-NOW’s mentoring programme, please don’t hesitate to send us an email: events@m-now.org. Or contact one of the other M-NOW board members.
Dedicated to Promoting the Professional Development of Women in the Maritime, Logistics and Transportation Industries.
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