Mentoring

Since its launch in autumn 2012, our programme has been extremely successful, helping people build skills and plan their career development.

What is mentoring

Mentors are experienced communications professionals who have agreed to share their skills, knowledge and experience. They act as a guide and support to their mentee in a series of informal one-to-one discussions.

Mentees benefit from having an experienced person who takes the time to listen, explore and discuss specific development needs, be that career planning or expanding a personal network.

In turn, mentors are able to develop their leadership and communication skills through these mentoring partnerships.

The purpose of the GCS Mentoring Programme is to:

• Enable mutual learning and development to take place in supported one-to-one mentoring relationships
• Provide an opportunity for mentees to take responsibility for managing their own career development
• Build capability across the Government Communications Profession

The process  

We are always looking for mentors because we receive more mentees applications than mentors. To continue to make effective matches we need more mentors. If you have experience and knowledge to share, fill the mentor application.

We aim to match as many mentors and mentees as possible. This is a rolling programme of matching. If you aren’t matched first time round, you will be carried over onto the following months matching exercise.  

Application for mentors only

The deadline to apply for the next round of matching is 28 February 2020. We are only looking for mentors at this stage, due to the overwhelming response from mentees. For this round of matching we’ll consider the mentee applications that we received until 17 December 2019.

 To apply as a mentor, complete the application and send it to GCSMentoringProgramme@cabinetoffice.gov.uk:

• Mentor application (Word 54KB)

What happens next:

• We will contact you as soon as you’ve been matched.
• If you haven’t been matched, you will be carried over onto the following matching exercise.

There is no monopoly on good ideas

MoD colleagues talk about what they think of the GCS Mentoring Scheme.

Conversations: Connecting Diverse Voices

Conversations: Connecting Diverse Voices (CCDV) is a mutual mentoring programme that is part of the GCS Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) strategy. The programme aims to facilitate conversations between decision makers across government and those who have experience in areas of D&I.

The programme is open to all GCS members regardless of grade or background.

• For SCS and Grade 6 leaders the programme offers the opportunity to identify an area of D&I you would like to learn more about and matches you with someone in the profession that has insights into that area.
• For GCS members up to Grade 7 who have knowledge and experience of an area of D&I, the programme offers the opportunity to collaborate with and learn from SCS or Grade 6 leaders.

 Our mentoring partners have focused on various areas of D&I including: job-shares, disability, LGBTQ, BAME, socio-economic backgrounds, regional staff, ageism, mental health, care leavers, gender and apprentices.

If you want to make your mark in D&I, sign up to CCDV.