The IES is delighted to announce the launch of its new Chartership Mentoring Scheme. A service which enables prospective Chartership applicants, for both Chartered Environmentalist (CEnv) and Chartered Scientist (CSci), the opportunity to receive support and guidance from an experienced member who has already been through the assessment process.

What can the scheme offer?
The primary focus of the scheme is, of course, the Mentee. Actions undertaken by both parties are largely conducted to support or serve the Mentee as they complete their Chartership journey.

The Mentoring Scheme is designed to be flexible, dependent on both the needs of the Mentee and the constraints of the Mentor. Whilst this list is far from exhaustive, the core support services we have considered Mentors offering are:

• Aiding Mentees in writing their report and long-form CV, if required, by providing guidance and helping to identify relevant professional experience. The content, however, must be the Mentee’s own.
• Undertaking a review of the written report to provide comment on whether competencies are fully met and communication is clear, highlighting areas for improvement.
• Conducting a mock interview with the Mentee to help them prepare for the professional review interview, if applicable.
• Improving self-confidence, self-esteem and motivation.
• Building professional relationships and networking.
• Recommending appropriate Continuing Professional Development (CPD) to ensure the Mentee is able to uphold their 30-hour annual requirement.

How does the scheme work?
Firstly, the IES Project Office establishes a pool of Mentors, determining the level of support and expertise they are able to provide. Mentees then submit applications to enter themselves into the scheme, indicating which Chartership they are undertaking and what support services they require. The IES Project Office matches the Mentee with an appropriate Mentor based on their professional experience, time commitments, and the support offering. Both parties are free to evaluate the partnership, either accepting and agreeing to the match, or declining and re-entering the pool to be rematched.

Once the partnership has been confirmed, resources are sent to both the Mentor and Mentee to aid in setting an appropriate direction for the scheme, with the overall objective of helping the Mentee to become Chartered. As this is a new scheme, the Office will check in with both parties every four weeks to ensure that expectations are being met and resources are sufficiently comprehensive.

Who can become a Mentee?
Mentoring can be an excellent mechanism to help individuals further their career in the environmental sector by supporting them through their Chartership journey. To participate in this scheme, you must be a Full Member of the Institution, and currently undertaking or commencing either your CEnv or CSci application.

For CEnv Mentees, the scheme is largely designed for candidates either undertaking their Chartership through the self-guided stream or who have not passed the interview or written elements of the ‘CEnv in a Day’ workshop. That being said, we are happy to accept enquiries from prospective workshop applicants who would like additional support prior to attending.

For CSci Mentees, we welcome requests from those undertaking their CSci report or those who have been invited to conducted a Professional Review Interview.

Looking for support as you undertake your Chartership? Fill out a Mentee Form (.docx) and return to Chloe.

Who can become a Mentor?
Becoming a Mentor gives you the opportunity to develop new skills, as well as gaining the satisfaction of supporting someone through their Chartership journey. Volunteering as a Mentor also provides the opportunity to give something back to the sector and to contribute to your annual CPD targets.

Mentors must be Full Members or Fellows who hold a current Chartership designation through the IES. For CEnv Mentors, you must be a Chartered Environmentalist, and similarly, for CSci Mentors, you must be a Chartered Scientist.

Furthermore, you must be confident that you are equipped to offer support to professionals undertaking their Chartership, and willing to commit to a minimum of 1 hour per month of contact time with an assigned Mentee. Training materials and support will be provided to you by the Project Office to guide you through your mentoring partnership (and give you a bit of a refresher on the competencies!)

Want to sign up as a Chartership Mentor? Fill out a Mentor Form (.docx) and return to Chloe.

Interested, but want more information on the scheme?
Send your questions over to Chloe Fletcher or call the office on +44 (0) 20 7601 1920 for a chat.