Business Mentoring
What is it? Britain’s largest banks have come together to support a network of business mentors across Britain. Current and retired bank employees have been recruited and trained as mentors, and partnered with established not-for-profit mentoring organisations. A new online portal has also been created, providing a single, easy to use search engine for businesses to locate their local mentoring organisations (www.mentorsme.co.uk).
How can I get a mentor?
If you believe you would benefit from a business mentor you should visit the new portal – www.mentorsme.co.uk. Here you will be able to locate your local mentoring organisation and the not-for-profit mentoring organisations that the banks’ business mentors are aligned to. Once you have found your local group, they will talk through what assistance you need and who would be the best mentor within the organisation to provide that support.
What are the benefits?
The advice of an independent business expert can be invaluable for any business. Mentors act as sounding boards, sources of contacts and facilitators, based on their personal experience and networks.
Whether you are a business owner just starting up, looking to access finance or simply seeking to improve your business acumen, the new scheme will allow you to make contact with local mentors and get support from trained providers.
Who are the business mentors?
Current and recently retired bank employees have volunteered and been trained as mentors, and partnered with established not-for-profit mentoring organisations. Whilst the focus was on recruiting current and retired Relationship Managers, all staff were approached in order to provide businesses with access to additional specialist skills such as marketing or HR.
How do we know the bank mentors are adequately qualified to mentor?
All of the bank business mentors will complete a training programme run by the independent UK Skills Sector Body for Enterprise and Business Support, SFEDI before they begin mentoring. The SFEDI programme includes training in communication, legislation, health and safety issues, funding and accounts, market research, customer service and marketing.
All of the mentors will be aligned to established and experienced mentoring organisations.
Download the factsheet in PDF format: - here.
