Both mentors and mentees are asked to complete a short, online form to register their interest in the programme and to specify their areas of expertise/interest.  

The LSLA will then propose mentor-mentee pairings to interested parties.  Upon acceptance of a proposed pairing, the mentor and mentee will meet once a month, online or in person, for a period of three months.  Participants are welcome to continue the relationship beyond three months, but there is no expectation that they must do so.

The LSLA invites expressions of interest in the Mentoring Programme year-round. Pairings will be made biannually. We cannot guarantee when you will be offered a pairing but we will consider each applicant bi-annually for a suitable match.

The scheme runs in two cycles, beginning in March and October each year, subject to sufficient interest from LSLA members.

The outline timetable is as follows:

• Year-round Expressions of interest
• March / September Proposed pairings
• April / October First meeting to be arranged by participants, with further meetings scheduled for the following two months

If you are interested in participating in the Mentoring Programme, please complete:

• the form available online here if you wish to participate as a mentor; or
  
  
• the form available online here if you wish to participate as a mentee.  

If you are not selected initially, your name will automatically be put forward for subsequent sessions, unless you ask that we do not do so.

When the LSLA proposes mentor-mentee pairings, the mentor will be approached first. Participants are asked to confirm as quickly as possible whether they are content to accept the proposed pairing. Participants do not need to give a reason for refusing a proposed pairing, and they may do due to capacity, conflict or some other reason. 

In the event that a proposed pairing is not accepted, the LSLA will do its best to propose an alternative but cannot guarantee that it will be able to do so during that round or at all.

Once a mentor-mentee pairing is established, it will be incumbent on the mentor and mentee to take the Mentoring Programme forward in accordance with the Mentoring Programme Handbook available here.

The standard cycle runs for three months.  We ask that pairs meet at least once a month for one hour, though you may choose to extend this by agreement.

We will contact the selected members in March or October to inform you of a proposed mentor-mentee pairing or to explain that we are not able to offer one in that round and so have automatically moved your registration of interest to the next round of the Mentoring Programme.

This is a decision for mentors and mentees.  A suitable environment will turn on the goals of each meeting.  In general, a professional space where it is possible to talk and use such personal devices as are appropriate for notetaking and exchanging ideas should be preferred. Online meetings with Teams or Zoom may also be appropriate depending on where participants are located.

It will be incumbent on mentees to drive the mentoring relationship forward, including organising meeting times with their mentor, preparing for meetings and ensuring that they set an agenda for each meeting with a goal in mind.

No.  The LSLA will not publish registrations of interest.  All mentor-mentee pairings will be proposed on the bases of matching areas of interest, goals and other objectives expressed by those registering their interest.

Please let us know as soon as possible and also inform your mentor/mentee if you have already been matched.

Please let the LSLA know as soon as possible.

Yes.  All conversations between mentors and mentees are confidential unless otherwise agreed.  Sensitive information about clients, cases, colleagues or other matters should remain confidential.

It is flexible.  Mentor-mentee pairs can choose to meet via video call, in person or a mix of both.