Today we’re launching a new mentoring programme aimed at LGBT+ civil servants. We’re asking you – whatever your grade, location, department or LGBT+ identity – to get involved.

Why we’re creating a mentoring programme

Research into the career progression of LGBT+ civil servants conducted by our predecessor network, the Civil Service Rainbow Alliance, found that respondents felt they didn’t have access to the same career opportunities – and particularly development opportunities – as their straight or cisgendered counterparts. We know that access to mentoring is one of the things you have consistently asked for.

We’re setting up a mentoring programme to help plug that gap.

The best part is that it will be totally online. That means no matter who you are, where you live or where you are in your career journey, you can take part.

How it will work

The new mentoring programme will match mentees to more senior or experienced mentors. All the mentees and mentors will be LGBT+.

1. Sign up as a mentor or mentee

You will be able to register as a mentor, a mentee, or both.

We’ll ask you to provide us with some information about you; like your Civil Service profession and your grade. We’ll use this information to narrow down mentors and mentees we think might be a good match.

Anyone can be a mentor. It doesn’t matter what grade you are, what profession you work in, or where you’re based. We’ll give you training and guidance on how to be an effective mentor.

If you’re a mentee, we’ll be aiming to match you to mentors that are one or two grades more senior than you are.

2. Wait for your matches

Once you’ve registered your interest, we’ll send mentees and mentors up to 3 matches.

3. Set up a ‘speed mentoring’ session

Once we’ve sent out the matches, mentees are responsible for contacting their matched mentors to arrange a one-off, 30 minute mentoring session.

If both the mentor and mentee decide they’re a good match, they can agree to keep the relationship going and to meet again.

4. Keep the conversation going

If you’ve found a match, the rest is up to you! You can meet up with your mentor or mentee as often as you both agree to meet. We’ll send you regular reminders, tips and advice about how to get the most from your mentoring relationship over the following months.

If you didn’t match with someone then you can submit yourself to the next round of the programme.

Find out more about how we’re planning to run the programme. Read about the mentoring programme.

What to do next

If you’re interested in taking part, the first step is to sign up. You can sign up as both a mentor and a mentee if you like.

Become a mentor

Give something back and become an LGBT+ mentor. We strongly encourage people at all grades to sign up as mentors – whether you’re an SCS or an EO. Everyone can help someone! The more mentors we have, the more mentees we can support through the programme.

Sign up as a mentee

Give your career a boost and sign up as a mentee. Whilst we can’t guarantee that everyone will find a mentor they keep for the long term, we will try to ensure everyone can access some speed mentoring.

Questions?

If you have a question, please contact us.