The University of Liverpool Mentoring Network allows potential mentees to search for a mentor to support them with their personal and professional development.

Although there are a number of mentoring schemes operating across the university, the network provides an infrastructure for mentoring activity to be captured holistically. The network can therefore be used to manage an existing scheme, in instances where you would like to request support from someone outside of your usual network, where a broader perspective is required or where you feel it would be more beneficial for the mentor to only have limited knowledge of your specific circumstances.

On joining the network, mentors are asked to provide information to help potential mentees find a suitable match. This information might include: personal characteristics; career path; professional experience; work achievements; specific knowledge areas; membership of networks and associations and personal interests.

Following the initial search, an informal meeting is arranged to ascertain whether the mentor and mentee feel there is value in working together. If so, the arrangements of the mentoring relationship are agreed and the relationship continues. If not, the mentee resumes the search for a potential match.

The philosophy of the University Mentoring Network is that both mentor and mentee gain value from working together and that mentors join the network because they have a genuine interest in supporting others and recognise the personal and professional benefits that arise from helping others in this way. It is also hoped that mentees may go on to support others in a mentoring capacity in the future.

Members of the Network are invited to attend events and training sessions throughout the year to enable them to get the most value from their mentoring experience.