St George’s is continuing to participate in B-MEntor Professional, a cross-institutional mentoring scheme for Black Asian and Minority Ethnic staff in Academic and Professional Services roles.
This mentoring programme is run by UCL and various other London-based Universities participate. It provides a unique platform for black, Asian and minority ethnic professional services staff to explore and strengthen their professional skills and enhance their networking opportunities through the cultivation of cross – institutional relationships.
St George’s has been participating in B-MEntor since 2019 and has supported various staff to be paired with a mentor outside of St George’s to explore and enhance their career development. Our staff have also supported this initiative participating as mentors for staff outside of St George’s. 2022 is the first year we will now open the scheme to both academic and professional services staff.
‘I joined the B-Mentor programme as a mentor to give staff in their early higher education careers the tips, knowledge and learning I have picked up over the years that I thought would have been useful for me to know and understand when I first started. To date I have mentored 3 mentees as part of the B mentor programme, who have gone on to gain additional qualifications, obtain new roles and have a better understanding of how higher education institutions operate. It’s rewarding to see how I have helped to make small positive changes in someone’s career.’
Trupti Jivram - e-Learning Manager, Centre for Technology in Education (CTiE)
The B-MEntor programme runs annually and staff can take part as a mentee or a mentor. Applications have now closed for 2023 but for further information please visit UCL B-MEntor webpage.
For any queries regarding B-MEntor at St George's, contact Sanjana Panchagnula, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Adviser.
The following universities are partners in the scheme:
- University College London
- King's College London
- St George's, University of London
- Queen Mary University
- University of Arts London.
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Mentoring is based on exchanging experiences, ideas and feedback between the two parties. It helps to promote understanding of formal and informal structures, enhances opportunities for staff to develop and build skills/knowledge, and enables continuing professional development and personal growth. The programme will also include:
- compulsory induction training session
- at least 6 one-to-one mentoring sessions
- end of year celebration social event.
- Obtain career advice and direction
- Receive help with identifying and clarifying issues, problems and obstacles
- Source new ideas and practices
- Gain the opportunity for networking across a broader spectrum than provided by te day-to-day environment.
- Gain fulfilment from facilitating personal development and encouraging others
- Network with like-minded colleagues
- Assist others along a path on which you have already been successful
- Advance equality and diversity in higher education
- Enhance skills such as coaching and constructive feedback.
Black, Asian and minority ethnic staff are significantly underrepresented at senior levels in all our institutions and this scheme looks to address these inequalities by:
- ensuring staff from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds are supported to reach their potential, recognising barriers and inequities as the cause of underrepresentation and avoiding a deficit approach
- helping to advance the careers of black, Asian and minority ethnic staff sharing informaiton outside the usual networks and encouraging applications for promotion to senior positions
- reducing feelings of isolation for staff who do not work in ethnically diverse areas.
For mentees:
- Are you a member of academic or professional services staff on grades SGUL 1-6 or Post-Doctoral to Lecturer level?
- Are you from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background?
- Would you value a trained and committed mentor from a different university to support you through the next stage of your career
For mentors:
- Are you an academic or professional service staff member at grade SGUL 6 or above, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor/Reader or Professorial level?
- Do you or would you enjoy mentoring?
- Would you like to make a personal committment to tackling the underrepresentation of black, Asian and minority ethnic staff in senior professional services roles?