It all starts with the right recipe - How to prepare a good mentoring program!

Nourishing, vibrant, and served without pretension, here is our own recipe for preparing a very nice mentoring program.

Because we’ve discovered that leading a mentoring program is like being a chef. It is like cooking.

You first make sure that you have a good kitchen available: we had the Living territories conference that was a perfect framework. Then you check you dispose of all needed materials: we (Ivana Radic jean-former YPARD Serbia country representative and I, Myriam Pérez-YPARD France country representative) contacted the organizers and with our motivation and willingness to work we gained their confidence, they supported us on every step we made. And then you go shopping for having the best quality ingredients! Mobilizing our great network we managed to get the best candidates on board :) And again with motivation and determination we got also the best mentors with us.

Once you have the right environment, preparing the best dish is not only about the ingredients. Even if you have nice ingredients, it can happen that you end up with food on your plate without being eaten. What makes a good dish is the way you combine your ingredients and the part of yourself that you put on it. You have to mix them and prepare all in such a way that together every ingredient give the best of itself creating a harmonious and delicious plate.

Ingredients:

• A very nice conference
• Motivated mentees
• Engaged mentors

How to make it?

Step 1: Make sure you have the organizers supporting you

Step 2: Show motivation and determination in every single step

Step 3: Ensure that mentees will give the best of them. Prepare them in advance to the conference

Step 4: Settle clear objectives for your program so that everyone knows what they want to achieve

Step 5: Create spaces for relaxed exchanges among mentors and mentees

Step 6: Follow up as much as you can, that makes your program living!

So, no hesitation, if you are motivated and committed you’ll find the way to serve your guests the best meal they’ve ever taste!

Picture credit: creative commons licence