Do you need to take your farm or forestry business forward in a new strategic direction? Are you a new entrant setting up and seeking guidance? Or are you an established business owner who would value mentoring from someone with experience of a particular issue.
If you are facing any business challenges or dilemmas, confidential mentoring and support from an experienced farmer or forester who has been approved as a Farming Connect mentor, may provide the help you need. Up to 70 individuals a year will now be able to access around 22 hours of guidance over an 18 month period through Farming Connect’s new fully subsidised mentoring initiative. Farming Connect is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Welsh Government.
Eirwen Williams, director of rural programmes with Menter a Busnes which delivers Farming Connect, urged any individuals who feel they would benefit from an impartial, independent perspective, to take advantage of the guidance now available through this new service.
“Whether you're on the giving or receiving end, this type of mentoring relationship can be hugely rewarding to both sides, personally and professionally.
“It's an opportunity to develop communication skills, to listen, learn and expand your viewpoints which in turn may help you find new ways to approach new situations and deal with challenges. And both partners can advance their own careers in the process,” said Mrs Williams.
Following a recruitment campaign earlier this year, Farming Connect now has a bank of approved and trusted role models ready to provide mentoring to eligible registered businesses.
"We have, with guidance from an independent assessor, selected a team of Farming Connect mentors, many of whom will have ‘been there, done that’ and who we feel can develop relationships based on mutual trust and respect. They will be able to share their considerable knowledge, experience, and impartial views with the ‘mentee’, to help them fulfil their potential as successful and resilient business people."
The Farming Connect website will be the main ‘shop window’ enabling mentees to browse the list of profiles until they identify a mentor with the background and credentials they feel can best support them. Hard copy lists will also be available. Farming Connect can also use its localised knowledge to help match individuals registered on a new mentoring matrix. Once the mentee’s application has been accepted and a match made, the two can arrange their first meeting, usually face to face, after which if both parties are content, the active mentor/mentee relationship will continue as agreed between them, for up to 18 months.
“Although every effort will be made to ensure a good match between mentor and mentee and Farming Connect will remain in touch to evaluate the success of the relationship, either party can exit the mentoring process at any stage,” said Mrs. Williams.
For more information and to browse through the directory of approved mentors visit the Mentoring page.