Robust Mentoring in Africa and Beyond

Robust mentoring is vital for our consultants and trainee consultants to grow and flourish.Our record of mentoring, though, has been patchy: some consultants in training receive excellent mentoring, while others receive virtually none. Some consultants have never been mentored and consequently do not know how to mentor others. This paper will present the steps that are been taken in Africa to address the situation.

A week-long consultation will take place in September 2019. Invitees will include those experienced mentors and those engaged to be mentors soon. Participants together will devise robust mentoring programs in Africa which:
1 clarify expectations on the mentor-mentee relationship
2 meet such challenges as realistic expectations of the relationship, mentoring at a distance, mentoring those of different generation or culture.
3 set out how a mentee is accountable to a mentor and a supervisor in their respective responsibilities.

After the event participants supported by their own mentor will:
1 mentor their mentees (including helping them,in their turn, to mentor others), and
2 support the setting up of structures that result in robust mentoring.

The presentation will describe the process involved in setting up this learning event, and include insights gleaned from the event, and reflect on how these insights can contribute to the establishment of robust mentoring in Africa and beyond.