Become a mentor

Momentum is an award-winning mentoring scheme set up by the University of Brighton Careers Service. It aims to pair university students who wish to gain employability skills and confidence, with professionals and managers who wish to share their experience.

Why become a mentor, or encourage your staff to become mentors?

Organisations that provide mentors gain in multiple ways. In exchange for a small amount of staff time, you or your employees receive:

• training in coaching and counselling skills that they can use throughout their career
• insight into higher education today and the strengths and development needs of graduates
• opportunities to network with fellow professionals from a wide range of disciplines
• understanding of how mentoring can assist staff development in your own organisation.

What commitment is involved?

The principal commitment is a minimum of 12 hours of face-to-face contact with the student across the duration of the programme (November to May). In practice, most pairs schedule a two-hour meeting once a month.

Additional commitments are:

• an evening for the training course in early autumn (recommended for new mentors or those seeking a refresher)
• an evening for the introduction seminar (early November), when the pairs first meet up
• an evening for the mid-year review (February)
• a day for the mid-year event (optional for mentors, but useful for networking)
• an evening in May for the Momentum awards ceremony. 

If you would like to find out more about Momentum, please contact the project co-ordinator, Robert Prosser at r.prosser@brighton.ac.uk or on 01273 642855.

Download the Mentor application form (word 99kb).