Mentoring Monthly - April 2012

Mentoring Monthly for everyone supporting, signed up for, and interested in Get Mentoring.

Welcome to the April instalment of Mentoring Monthly, the newsletter bringing you the news and views from the Get Mentoring scheme.

This month we’ve been speaking to Ruth Lowbridge, Executive Director of the SFEDI Group, about the value she’s found in volunteer mentoring over almost 20 years as a business owner. We're offering mentors the chance to sign up for a seminar with author, mentor and coach Penny Power to raise awareness of the right the right "digital mindset" for small businesses. And we’ve been chatting with one entrepreneur to discuss the qualities she’s looking for in a mentor, as she prepares to meet a new mentor for the first time.

On top of all that we’ve got a great selection of new recruits to our mentoring ranks, each sharing their own thoughts on why they’ve decided to sign up for the free training. Plus a sneak peek at one of the important principles taught as part of the Introduction to Enterprise Mentoring course as well as an update on what the Get Mentoring team will be up to over the busy month ahead.

If you know of any budding mentors or mentees, please help us spread the word by forward ing this newsletter on to them.

A mentor's story: Elisha Foster is a young entrepreneur who has set up a photography business in London with her sister in law. She registered for the free mentor training because she aims to provide the kind of support that was hard to find when she was setting up. More

A mentee's story: This month we asked businesswoman and mum of three Tracey Primus what she'll be looking for in a mentor. We met Tracey at Business 2012 and we are now looking forward to following her story as she finds a mentor and progresses her business in the coming months. More

Next month the Get Mentoring team is joining the Business in You stand at Business Startup, an exhibition being held at the ExCel London on the 17^th and 18^th of May. Speakers include former Dragon James Caan, West Ham United owner David Gold and Business Minister Mark Prisk. We hope to meet many potential mentors there as well as lots of mentees. If you're visiting the show come and say hello!

A digital mindset for successful mentoring
In a unique opportunity for “Get Mentoring” volunteer mentors, Penny Power will be leading a seminar on the social digital landscape, what it is and how small business can develop a “digital mindset”, thus making greater connections, build networks and find new customers. S ign up here

A mentor's story: Public Relations consultant Richard Simpson believes that mentors have the potential to help others create wealth and employment. He’s looking to aid young, growing businesses or those “stuck in a rut” to achieve success. More

A mentor's story: With prior experience of mentoring on an informal basis, Kay Wallace from The Natural Bed Company is familiar with the rewards that can be enjoyed by both mentee and mentor. More

New dates released
There are 24 NEW dates for you to attend a free mentor training workshop in May and June at locations across the UK. Sign up for a workshop near you today!

From mentee to mentor
As Executive Chair of the SFEDI Group, the organisation leading Get Mentoring, and a business owner for almost 20 years, Ruth Lowbridge shares her experiences of mentoring. Like many female entrepreneurs with children Ruth found that the positives of working for oneself far outweighed the negatives. But she believes that she would not have been able to survive in business without a range of mentors who were there whenever she needed them. More

Looking for a mentor? Visit Mentorsme, the UK's free online gateway aimed at connecting business owners of start ups and growing businesses with mentoring services.

Mentoring in a minute - our monthly taster of one of the principles taught through the scheme.
Mentors ‘Pull’ they don’t ‘Push’ - The Get Mentoring training encourages people to pull information by listening, understanding and asking questions. Mentors do not push information, i.e. telling, instructing or giving people advice. The mentee should always hold the reins and find the answer to their own problems rather than being offered solutions. If you want to know more and haven't completed the course, what are you waiting for? Develop your mentoring skills by registering for the free training here.

Do you know someone who would make a great mentor?
Let them know by using our 'Tell a friend' facility on the homepage of Get Mentoring.