This is a unique opportunity for individuals from across the University from minority ethnic backgrounds to work with senior colleagues in a partnership.
The University of Bristol’s 2022-23 Reciprocal Mentoring programme builds on the success of last year’s pilot programme where staff from Black, Asian and other minority ethnic heritages were paired with senior colleagues from the University Executive Board (UEB).
The aim of the programme is to give white staff in leadership roles (mentees) greater insight into the lived experience and development needs of minority ethnic colleagues (mentors), whilst offering a mutually beneficial mentoring partnership. Participants will be equal partners, each taking on the role of both mentor and mentee. They will have an opportunity to develop their skills, knowledge and networks through the mentorship of their partner.
The programme will take place over the academic year, and with formal support, training and facilitation, participants will have the opportunity to self-direct the content of their mentoring sessions to make them as relevant and meaningful as possible.
Participants would need to be able to commit to:
The information session will be held on Friday 23 September 2022, 10.30 - 11.00. To attend, please email grp-reciprocalmentoring@groups.bristol.ac.uk.
To find out more about the Reciprocal Mentoring programme please watch the recording of the Information Session we held on Thursday 27 May 2021.
It is a development intervention that stems from the models of traditional mentoring but is not the same. The pairs are equal partners in the process of learning and the relationship is reciprocal.
The approach aims to focus on systemic change as well as at an individual level. It is about creating genuine understanding of each other’s lived experiences and to connect with each other to create trust for working together as partners.
It won’t always be comfortable. It will require the participants to start on a journey of exploration and commitment to change.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experience on the Reciprocal Mentoring Programme! My advice to mentors would be to go in knowing what you want to gain/achieve from the experience. This will help you to direct the focus of your conversations. My partner and I spent our first meeting introducing ourselves. To break the ice and cut through the niceties early, we gave each other some insight on our background, upbringing and experiences that lead us to our current positions. We also outlined our motivations for taking part in the programme as well as what we wanted to gain. This allowed us to get to know each other very quickly and to stay aware of drifting too far from our main objectives over the course of the programme. It's been a pleasure getting to know my partner and we have chosen to continue meeting despite the programme's end.
Mentor
Taking part in the Reciprocal Mentoring Programme was something that I thought long and hard about before committing to. I found the thought of having very personal discussions about issues I rarely (if at all) openly talk about with someone at work daunting. However, the benefit of the programme is that it has the potential to offer something deeper which is to allow personal connections at all levels of the organisation to be made and over time to flourish. Taking part in the Programme was a worthwhile and thought-provoking experience. I personally felt that I met someone who was just as vulnerable and unsure of what to do and this enabled us to take tentative steps towards having some difficult and uncomfortable conversations in what felt like a safe space for both of us. Truly trying to engage, and share lived experience grows empathy. The conversation needs to continue to generate trust in leadership and provide a platform from which conversation moves to action.
Mentor
This was an incredibly worthwhile and thought provoking experience. It was sometimes uncomfortable, but as our relationship progressed I think it allowed us to discuss difficult issues in what felt like a safe space. It gave me an excellent insight into someone else’s “lived experience” and challenged some of my pre-existing assumptions. I am very grateful to my mentor for being so honest and open – this allowed us both to share our vulnerabilities and engage.
Mentee
I fully support the Reciprocal Mentoring Programme which aims to enable individual as well as systemic transformation. I see this as a way to build on the work of our Anti-Racism Steering Group, to create a culture of diversity, equality and inclusion, where our differences are respected and valued, our biases are challenged and systemic barriers are dismantled. As equal partners minority ethnic colleagues and senior colleagues will share and understand the lived experiences of each other, as well as share skills, knowledge and networks, enabling each other to champion change, influence peers and inform decision making through our University, together.
Jane Khawaja – Head of Research Development (UK)
Please use the resources we've listed to help look after yourself and your colleagues.
Coaching Skills e-learning
If you have any questions about the programme you can contact grp-reciprocalmentoring@groups.bristol.ac.uk
We are not currently accepting applications. We will add details here when applications open again. (The 2022 deadline for the Mentor Profile Form was midnight on 3 October 2022)
We are not currently accepting applications. We will add details here when applications open again. (The 2022 deadline for the Mentee Profile Form is midnight on 3 October 2022)
