Mentoring opportunities at the BES
The BES have been running mentoring in some capacity since 2009, with large number of members participating in valuable programmes. With our guidance, mentors have provided professional support to mentees in areas including career changes, work-life balance and career development opportunities.
New BES Mentoring scheme
The BES have run mentoring in some capacity since 2009. Our highly successful Women in Ecology mentoring scheme paired women from the UK and internationally to provide support in areas such as work-life balance and career support. During 2021 we reviewed mentoring at the BES and looked into how we can expand our provisions and support more members. We are now implementing a new scheme that will be able to increase the resources and impact we can have, whilst considering how we can provide more training and webinars to our members. We aim to have the mentoring platform ready to go mid-2023 but are keen to discuss the benefits of being both a member and a mentee in the meantime.
How can you help?
If feel you are able to provide ideas or guidance on the review of mentoring at the BES please do get in touch with Amy Padfeld. We are interested in hearing from you on how we can best support you and welcome your suggestions.
Need a mentor?
We do not wish to discontinue our support at a time when it is highly needed and therefore we are welcoming requests for adhoc mentoring partnerships. If you are interested in this as an option and feel that you would highly benefit from having a mentor then please get in touch with Amy Padfield to discuss this further.
Testimonials from a mentor and mentee
“I wasn’t really sure if I would be a suitable mentor; as I approached the end of my PhD and was assessing my next move, however, I thought about how mentoring someone else could also benefit me. Working in both industry and academia has allowed me to develop a wide range of skills and I wanted to pass on information to others about how to gain these skills. The scheme has benefited me by providing me with the opportunity to think about my own career path and where I want to go next; I’d also like to be more involved with teaching and mentoring in the future.” Mentor, 2018/19 scheme.
“As an early PhD student, the scheme has provided me with valuable external support and encouragement. The scheme is flexible for both mentor and mentee but with clear guidelines and exercises. I do highly recommend this scheme to anyone that wants to reinforce their self-confidence and increase their scientific networking.” Mentee, 2018/19 scheme.
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