TASMANIA 2019

MENTORING
GUIDE
YOUR JOURNEY STARTS TODAY

& BRANCHER
 03 Program objectives

04 A checklist

STNETNOC FO ELBAT
05 About mentoring

06 Eligibility - mentees

07 Eligibility - mentors

08 Mentoring journey

09 How do we match?

10 Expectations of a mentee

12 Expectations of a mentor

14 Code of Conduct

16 Preparing for your first meeting

17 Agenda for first meeting

18 Mentoring Agreement

20 Your second meeting and beyond

21 Talking points

22 Frequently asked questions

25 Contacts

ABOUT THIS GUIDE

Thank you for joining Women In Media’s (WiM) Mentoring Program. This Mentoring Guide has
been developed for both mentees, and mentors - so there are resources in here for you both.

This is a guide, not a list of rules (or legal advice). You may adapt it to suit your circumstances.
Program Objectives

Women in Media's objectives of this voluntary mentoring program are to:

Improve opportunities and outcomes for women working in media

Retain talented women in media

Share knwoledge and skills

Foster resilience and self-confidence

A checklist for

mentees & mentors

Please refer to the checklist below as a summary of your key actions.

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Read this Mentoring Guide and become familiar with what is
expected of you
Adhere to the Women in Media Mentoring Code of Conduct
Establish and agree upon your Mentoring Agreement during your first
meeting
Remember to respect confidentiality and professional boundaries
Give and receive regular feedback to your mentee/mentor
Participate in the quarterly mentoring feedback surveys so we
(Women in Media) can further learn what is working, and what can be
improved for future mentoring programs
About Mentoring
Mentoring is... Mentoring is not...
A developmentally orientated relationship Therapy. Whilst a good mentor will help
between a mentee and a mentor, where a mentee through professional and
the mentor offers guidance, support and personal issues, mentoring sessions
new learning opportunities to the mentee. should not focus on health or financial
A relationship founded on mutual respect, issues.
non-judgement, openness and willingness A recruitment agency. A mentor is not
to learn, confidentiality and trust, and expected to make introductions or help a
personal growth and continuous feedback. mentee find a new job.

A mentor is... A mentee is...

A sounding board - someone who provides Someone who seeks support and guidance
knowledge, encouragement, guidance, in their career and professional
coaching and constructive feedback to the development. A mentee always has
mentee by developing a genuine interest in ultimate responsibility for their career and
the growth of their abilities and talents. professional development.
 ARE YOU READY
TO BE A MENTEE?
Whilst everyone can benefit from mentoring, not
everyone will benefit from mentoring at the same
time in their career.

PAEL EHT EKAT

Before applying for a mentoring program, we
recommend asking yourself the following
questions:
Are you clear on what help you need? If not,
try to do some more self-reflection. Our
'mentoring matching application form' will
also help you solidify this.
Are you ready to listen, even if it is not what
you want to hear?
Can you honestly respond to questions that
dig deep into why you make the choices you
make?
Can you open yourself up to trusting a
mentoring relationship?
Are your expectations for your mentor
flexible?
Are you willing to look at situations from all
angles?
Are you driven and ambitious to pursue
personal growth?
Are you ready to stretch out of your comfort
zone?
Are you willing to do the work (meeting 1
Eligibility
hour per month) and also doing the 'self-work'
All women working in media can apply to join
between sessions?
Women in Media's mentoring program
Are you willing to commit to the expectations
of a mentee (see below)?
Do you have time and energy to commit to
Cost
mentoring? There is no cost for either the mentee or
Are you ready to learn more about yourself? mentor. Optional events (e.g.
networking/professional development events)
If you answered yes to the questions above, throughout the year may involve a small
read on. charge to cover costs.

Note that whilst we do our best to connect everyone with their ideal mentee/mentor match, unfortunately due
to numbers and matching compatibility, we cannot accept everyone into the mentoring program. If you are
not accepted into this year's mentoring program, we encourage you to apply again next year.
 ARE YOU READY
TO BE A MENTOR?

PAEL EHT EKAT

Traditionally being a mentor has been
reserved for advanced stage career
professionals. However, Women in Media are
encouraging all professionals to consider
being a mentor - regardless of your career
stage or age.

Early stage career professionals can be a

great mentor to others who may be at
university, or even to more advanced stage
career professionals who may want to learn a
particular skill or become more familiar with
technology (e.g. social media, podcasting).

Some questions you may like to ask yourself

when considering if you are ready to be a
mentor include:
Do you have strong ambitions to give back
and assist other women working in media
to advance their career and grow as an
individual?
Are you willing to commit to the
expectations of a mentor (see below)?
Do you have time and energy to commit to
mentoring?
Are you open and willing to advise, Eligibility
support, challenge and coach?
Are you ready to learn more about All women working in media can apply to join
yourself? (mentors often experience Women in Media's mentoring program
indirect learning benefits from reflecting
on how they got to their current position
Cost
and articulating the vision of what they
There is no cost for either the mentee or
want next from their careers)
mentor. Optional events (e.g.
networking/professional development events)
If you answered yes to the above
throughout the year may involve a small
questions, read on. charge to cover costs.

Note that whilst we do our best to connect everyone with their ideal mentee/mentor match, unfortunately due
to numbers and matching compatibility, we cannot accept everyone into the mentoring program. If you are
not accepted into this year's mentoring program, we encourage you to apply again next year.
 W H A T T O E X P E C T F R O M M Y

MENTORING JOURNEY

STEP 1
As a mentee/ mentor, you will receive an
email invitation to be involved in a 12
month mentoring program. After reviewing
the Mentoring Guide, if you are willing to
commit to the program, you will complete
STEP 2 a detailed questionnaire so we can find
Receive an email introduction to your "ideal your "ideal match".
match", along with a Profile (about your
match) so you know a little about your STEP 3
mentee/mentor before you meet.
Mentee to contact mentor and arrange a
time and place to meet - ideally face to face.
STEP 4 Set clear goals, expectations and
Attend the mentoring kick off event. Learn boundaries.
more about what to expect from the program,
and meet other mentee and mentors. STEP 5
Meet at least once per month with your
mentee/mentor. Stay in touch between
STEP 6
meetings (work out what works for you
Provide feedback to each other regularly. Review
both).
the Mentoring Guide to ensure you are making
the most of the experience. Reach out for
STEP 7
support to WiM or Brancher if you have
questions. Complete each Quarterly Review Survey
so we know how you are tracking, and what
we can do to further support you. Ensure
STEP 8 you check in with each other (provide
Attend the 6 month group mentoring meet up feedback, again) and review goal progress.
to meet other mentees and mentors, and connect
(and re-connect) with peers. STEP 9
Follow up and connect again with a
mentee/mentor you met at the group meet
STEP 10 up - who do you want to stay in touch with?
Stay connected with your mentee/mentor -
continue meeting monthly (at least) and
STEP 11
reviewing your goals quarterly.
Receive an email that formalises the end of
the mentoring program. It is up to each
pair to decide "what's next?". Mentor to set
STEP 12 clear boundaries and expectations around
Consider, do you want to do it all again? We what the relationship will look like.
would love to have you join us for another
mentoring journey!
How do we match?
We use Brancher to help create the ideal match.

We ask mentors and mentees to complete a

detailed online application form to assist in
matching compatible participants.

Brancher uses the latest research from the

behavioural sciences to match compatible
mentees and mentors. This involves matching
mentees and mentors on their goal alignment,
career interests, skills, values, personality and
more.

Note that compatibility does not always equal similarity - we value diversity, and we
match you with someone who will compliment, challenge and stretch you - but not
necessarily be a future version of yourself.

Brancher's questionnaire includes some validated values and personality

assessments, which are used for matching and research purposes. All data is
stored confidentially and securely.
Visit www.brancher.com.au for more information

ENDING THE RELATIONSHIP

-NO FAULT CLAUSE-
Whilst we do our best to create the "ideal" match, incompatibility is part of
life and is no one’s fault! If either the mentor or the mentee (or both) face
difficulties with their mentoring relationship, the first step is to try and
resolve the issue/s by having an open feedback conversation. By exploring
issues objectively, some problems can be diffused at an early stage.

NO FAULT
If this is not possible, the Mentoring Agreement contains a ‘No Fault’
clause, which enables either the mentor or the mentee to end the
mentoring relationship at any time without any blame attached. In this
case, after speaking directly to hello@brancher.com.au - participants must
notify their mentoring match of their decision to end the relationship.
 What is expected of me as a mentee?
Meeting frequency and availability

Establish clear expectations and boundaries from the beginning - mutually decide on an agreed time and
frequency of contact. We recommend meeting/talking at least once a month.
Ensure your availability and be fully attentive without distractions during meetings (phone on silent).

SNOITATCEPXE
Maintain regular contact with your mentor throughout the 12 month program.

Goal setting and progress

Work with your mentor to set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time limited) goals and
develop clear action plans to address these.
Work with your mentor to identify other challenges/skills/competencies you want to work on.
Ask for your mentor's opinion and actively seek out their advice.
Listen and respect your mentor's advice based on experience and then filter it for your particularl situation.

Build trust!

Build rapport and prioritise getting to know each other! Research shows that in order for mentoring to be effective
(and have any benefit), there needs to be a baseline chemistry between a mentor and mentee.
Make no assumptions. Ask lots of questions to find out your mentor's perspective and opinion.
Be non-judgemental and respectful. Do not pass judgement on different ideas and opinions.
Be aware of cross-cultural differences. Have an open dialogue how culture can influence different perspectives.
Respect confidentiality. To build a trusted relationship, you must respect strict confidentiality at all times.
Show humility and respect your mentor's professional boundaries. It is unliikely your mentor will have all the
answers. They are human, after all. As such, your mentor may refer you on to others who can help.
Be open and honest . Openly share your success stories as well as your failures to get the greatest benefit.
Follow through on your commitments. If following through on commitments and meeting deadlines is not your
strong point - consider what strategies you will employ to ensure your mentor is not disappointed.

Provide and ask for feedback

Set clear expectations at the beginning of the relationship regarding feedback.

Provide regular feedback (at least quarterly) to your mentor about (1) the mentoring relationship - what is
working well, and what could be improved, and (2) your own opinion on how you're tracking with your
goal progress and personal growth.
Ask for regular feedback (at least quarterly) from your mentor about (1) the relationship - what is working
well, and what could be improved, and (2) about your own goal progress and personal growth.
What is expected of me as a mentee?
Be proactive

As the mentee, you should be driving the mentoring relationship, including setting up and confirming
meetings, setting the meeting agenda, and keeping your mentor updated with your progress, and how else
they can help you.
Be pro-active and drive your own self-development between meetings
Your mentor will be busy, and they cannot read your mind - so be open and honest with how you are tracking,
how the relationship is going, and how they can further help you get the most from the experience.

SNOITATCEPXE
Share knowledge and build your network

Share knowledge and resources in-between your monthly catch up. If you come across a great article,
book, podcast, TV series etc - share this with your mentor to keep the communication line open.
Make the most of the extra confidence and drive you receive from a mentoring relationship, and invest this
into building new relationships across the industry. Reach out to someone for a warm introduction or
coffee, attend a Women in Media event, or industry breakfast - put yourself out there to build your network.

Display gratitude

Your mentor is giving up a significant amount of time to invest in you and your
career, so a simple thank you can go a long way TIP: A SIMPLE
THANK YOU GOES
If your mentor needs to cancel a meeting, or disappoints you in some way - try to
A LONG WAY
be forgiving and reschedule promptly.

And do not...
Ask for a job, or contacts for work. Your mentor is responsible for helping you grow personally and professionally - not
for finding you a job.
Talk to your mentor the same way you may to a therapist. Whilst it is fine to talk about your personal life (this is
important as it builds the foundation of a strong relationship), if the session is focused on a specific mental health,
financial health, family problem, or personal crisis, we encourage you to contact Lifeline: 13 11 14.
Expect your mentor to "treat" you to a nice lunch or purchase gifts. Your mentor is already giving you their valuable
time and advice, and this should not be an expectation.
 What is expected of me as a mentor?
Meeting frequency and availability

Establish clear expectations and boundaries from the beginning - mutually decide on an agreed time and
frequency of contact. We recommend meeting/talking at least once a month.
Ensure your availability and be fully attentive without distractions during meetings (phone on silent).

SNOITATCEPXE
Maintain regular contact with your mentee throughout the 12 month program.

Goal setting and progress

Help the mentee set SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time limited) goals and develop
clear action plans to address these.
Help the mentee to identify areas where they need further training.
Challenge the mentee’s assumptions and perspectives to encourage the development of new ways to
approach situations or achieve goals.

Build trust!

Build rapport and prioritise getting to know each other! Research shows that in order for mentoring to be effective
(and have any benefit for the mentee), there needs to be a baseline chemistry between a mentor and mentee.
Make no assumptions. Ask lots of questions to find out your mentee's perspective and opinion.
Be non-judgemental and respectful. Do not pass judgement on different ideas and opinions.
Be aware of cross-cultural differences. Have an open dialogue how culture can influence different perspectives.
Respect confidentiality. To be a confidant and trusted advisor, you must respect strict confidentiality at all times.
Show humility and respect your own professional boundaries. It is OK if you do not have all the answers - refer
your mentee to others who can help, if appropriate.
Demonstrate authenticity. Openly share your success stories as well as your failures to help build authenticity.
Follow through on your commitments. If following through on commitments and meeting deadlines is not your
strong point - consider what strategies you will employ to ensure your mentee is not disappointed.

Provide and ask for feedback

Set clear expectations at the beginning of the relationship regarding feedback.

Provide regular feedback (at least quarterly) to your mentee about (1) the mentoring relationship - what
is working well, and what could be improved, and (2) about their goal progress and personal growth.
Ask for regular feedback (at least quarterly) from your mentee about (1) the relationship - what is
working well, and what could be improved, and (2) about your personal coaching style, and what would
further benefit them.
What is expected of me as a mentor?
Coaching

As the mentor, you should be listening and coaching your mentee to come to
their end solution/decision more than 'telling' or offering advice.
Consider using a method such as “GROWTH” coaching:
GROWTH – Goals – What do you want to achieve? TIP: USE A GROWTH
REALITY – What’s happening now? COACHING MODEL TO
AVOID ONE-WAY
OPTIONS – What can you do?
CONVERSATION FROM
WILL – What will you do? THE MENTOR TO THE

SNOITATCEPXE
TACTICS – How and when will you do it? MENTEE.

HABITS – How will you sustain your success?

For more information visit: www.growthcoaching.com.au

Share knowledge and resources

Share knowledge and resources in-between your monthly catch up. If you come across a great article,
book, podcast, TV series etc - share this with your mentee to keep the communication line open.
If appropriate, introduce your mentee to professional networks and explore career development
opportunities. Note again, this is not a program where you are expected to offer contacts for work or find
your mentee a job. That is their responsibility.

Celebrate success and build resilience

Celebrate the mentee's achievements and goal progress.

TIP: RESEARCH
A simple “well done” recognition can go a long way. SHOWS THAT
Maintain optimism in the face of setbacks, and find the positive in each situation. RECOGNITION IS
In addition to sharing success stories, encourage the mentee to talk through
MORE POWERFUL
THAN REWARDS
failures and lessons learned to build resilience.

And do not...
Do not discount or minimise experiences that your mentee is sharing with you - what may seem small to you, may be
significant to them.
And remember, you are not expected to offer contacts for work or find your mentee a job.
You are not expected to be a health professional. If you become aware of an issue of concern, suggest that your
mentee seek professional help. If the mentee is experiencing a personal crisis, mental health issues or financial
difficulties, please refer them to Lifeline: 13 11 14.
You are not expected to "treat your mentee" to a nice lunch or other forms of financial rewards.
Code of Conduct
All mentors and mentees are requested to adhere to the following code of conduct.

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I commit to fulfilling the mentoring expectations in this guide including
meeting with my mentee/mentor at least once per month for 12 months.

I have the time, energy and drive to be an actively involved participant.

I will maintain and respect confidentiality at all times, including all contact
details.

I will maintain professional standards of behaviour and safety.

I will treat others with courtesy, respect and be non-judgemental.

I will provide feedback, and be open to feedback.

If I am travelling for extended periods of time (more than 4 weeks), I will advise
my mentee/mentor.

If my contact details change, I will advise both my mentee/mentor and the

Women in Media Mentoring Program contact.

If I have any questions about the mentoring program, I will contact the Women
in Media Mentoring Program contact.

If I am unable to continue in the mentoring program due to unforeseen

circumstances, other commitments (e.g. family), or if the mentoring relationship
is not working (e.g. the match is not right), I will contact hello@brancher.com.au
to advise and resolve.

At the end of the 12 month program, I recognise that my mentoring relationship

is no longer a formally recognised /supported partnership from Women in
Media. It is up to the mentor to establish clear boundaries as to what the
relationship looks like (if anything) outside of the program.
Mentee Tips:
Preparing for your first meeting
When preparing for your first mentoring meeting, as a mentor, spend a few minutes
thinking about yourself and your own career story. Consider the following prompter

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questions:

What is your background?

How did you get to where you are today?

What are some of the things you are most proud of?

What are some of your biggest challenges, and what have you learnt from these?

What are your biggest strengths, and how have you managed to leverage these?

What are your biggest areas of weakness, and what strategies have you implemented to manage these?

What are your personal values (e.g. family, enjoyment in life, freedom, independence, work ethic, ethics,

financial security/wealth) and how do these guide your career choices?

What do you like about your current role, and what do you not like?

What are your current challenges, and which of these are most important (impactful)?

What are your immediate and long-term goals?

What would you like to get out of this mentoring program?

What would an ideal mentoring relationship look like?

Mentor Tips:
Preparing for your first meeting
When preparing for your first mentoring meeting, as a mentor, spend a few minutes
thinking about yourself and your own career story. Consider the following prompter

STNEMTTIMMOC YM
questions:

What is your background?

How did you get to where you are today?

What are some of the things you are most proud of?

What are some of your biggest challenges, and what have you learnt from these?

What have been your biggest disappointments?

What are your biggest strengths, and how have you managed to leverage these?

What are your biggest areas of weakness, and what strategies have you implemented to manage

these?

What would you have told yourself 5 (or 10) years ago?

What is the key piece of advice you have for women working in media?

What do you think will be the key skills in highest demand over the next 5 years?

What would an ideal mentoring relationship look like?

Agenda for your first meeting
Consider the following agenda (and how you might adapt this) for your first meeting.
Remember this is a guide only.

Get to know each other

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What are your backgrounds/ career stories so far, hobbies outside of work, career
goals, personal strengths, areas for development?
What are you both hoping to get out of the mentoring relationship?
What are your similarities and differences in regards to working styles (i.e. are you
organised and detail orientated or strategic and a high level thinker?), and how can you
be aware of these to foster trust and understanding?
Complete your 'Mentoring Agreement' with each other (put in writing):
How often and where will you meet? (minimum requirement is once per month)
How will you lock in and confirm your meetings (we recommend mentees drive this)?
How will you stay in touch between meetings?
How much contact is 'too much' - what are your boundaries?
What happens if circumstances change (e.g. unexpected extended travel)?
Who will own each meeting agenda (this should be the mentee)?
What do you expect from each other (e.g. keeping an open mind / being non-
judgemental, keeping appointments / rescheduling promptly, being present during
meetings)?
How and when will you give and receive regular feedback?
What are the mentee's goals for the mentoring program?
What are the mentor's goals for the mentoring program?
How and when will you hold each other to account for the achievement of your goals?
Clarify expectations
Discuss the issue of confidentiality and ensure both parties are comfortable sharing
information.
Clarify that if the mentee is asking for something beyond the expertise of the mentor,
that the mentee will be referred to someone else.
Set the agenda and 'homework' in preparation for the next meeting, which should be
around 'goal setting' (establishing clear short and long term goals)
 Mentoring Agreement
TO BE COMPLETED DURING FIRST MEETING

HOW OFTEN AND WHEN

WILL YOU MEET?

HOW WILL YOU LOCK IN

AND CONFIRM MEETINGS?

We recommend the mentee

drives this.

HOW WILL YOU STAY IN

TOUCH BETWEEN
MEETINGS?

HOW MUCH CONTACT IS

'TOO MUCH' - WHAT ARE
YOUR BOUNDARIES?

WHAT HAPPENS IF
CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE
(E.G. EXTENDED TRAVEL)?

WHO WILL OWN EACH

MEETING AGENDA?

We recommend the mentee

owns this.
 Mentoring Agreement (Continued)
TO BE COMPLETED DURING FIRST MEETING

WHAT DO YOU EXPECT

FROM EACH OTHER?

HOW AND WHEN WILL

YOU GIVE AND RECEIVE
REGULAR FEEDBACK?

WHAT ARE THE MENTEE'S

GOALS FOR THE
MENTORING PROGRAM?

WHAT ARE THE MENTOR'S

GOALS FOR THE
MENTORING PROGRAM?

HOW WILL YOU HOLD

EACH OTHER TO ACCOUNT
FOR THE ACHIEVEMENT
OF YOUR GOALS?

MENTEE MENTOR

SIGNED SIGNED

DATE DATE
Our second meeting and beyond
We recommend preparation before every meeting. Every good meeting requires
preparation from both the mentee and the mentor, so just like we did on the previous
page, ensure you prepare adequately by checking off the following:

!Y
S ET K
N ESMI TNT O
Have you followed up /completed previous action items?

Have you reflected on what went well/ what did not go so well in the last meeting?

IM
Have you connected with your mentee/mentor (either via email, text or phone) since

I TMA OR C
your last meeting (even if it's a simple article you are forwarding)?

A PYE M
Have you thought about what key questions your mentee/mentor may have for you in

the next meeting?

RP
How will you ensure you are 'present' in your next meeting (phone turned off/ mind

active and present)?

Is there anything that needs to be confirmed (location, time) in preparation for your

next meeting?
Talking points (suggestions)
Mentees and mentors have told us the following topics have been interesting and useful
to explore during mentoring meetings.

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What are my 3 year, 5 year and 10 year goals? What action plans can I create to

achieve these goals?

What are my personal values and what is important to me in life?

How do I ask for a pay rise/negotiate my salary?

How do I cold call an important stakeholder (and possibly call at an inconvenient/

late time)?

How do I build a strong network and why is this important?

How do I meet people outside of my sub-industry within media?

How do I deal with cyber bullying? (Remember, as a mentor - you are not expected

to be an expert in this space. If your mentee is experiencing bullying, please refer

them to their HR Manager or if they are experiencing a personal crisis, mental

health issues or financial difficulties, please refer them to Lifeline: 13 11 14)

What are the standards and ethics I want to stand by?

Is work-life balance important to me and if so, what strategies can I employ to have

a better balance?

Are we staying on track and making progress towards the mentee's goals? This

can be done by reflecting on the original Mentoring Agreement.

Are we both delivering on our commitments and agreed actions?

How can we further improve the mentoring relationship for both of us?
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the 2019 Women in Media Tasmania Mentoring Program?

A 12 month mentoring program for women working in media that aims to:
Improve opportunities and outcomes for women working in media

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Retain talented women in media
Share knowledge and skills
Foster resilience and self-confidence

2. Who is organising/running the program?

The program is a collaboration between Women in Media and Brancher.

3. What is Women in Media?

Women in Media is a nationwide initiative for women working in all facets of the media – from
journalism and media advisory work to public relations and corporate affairs.

4. What is Brancher?

Brancher is a mentoring platform that uses research and evidence based assessments to match
compatible mentees and mentors.
5. Who is eligible to apply?

All women working in media and Tasmania can apply to join Women in Media's mentoring
program.

6. Is everyone accepted into the program?

Note that whilst we do our best to connect everyone with their ideal mentee/mentor match,
unfortunately due to numbers and matching compatibility, we cannot accept everyone into the
mentoring program. If you are not accepted into this year's mentoring program, we encourage you
to apply again next year.

7. What do you consider when matching mentees and mentors?

We use the latest research from the behavioural sciences to match compatible mentees and
mentors. This involves matching mentees and mentors on their goal alignment, career interests,
skills, values, personality and more. Note that compatibility does not always equal similarity - we
value diversity, and we match you with someone who will compliment, challenge and stretch you -
but not necessarily be a future version of yourself.

8. What are you looking for in my application?

There are no right or wrong answers - we are simply looking at who we can partner up as
compatible mentees and mentors. We encourage you to answer the application form openly and
honestly so that we can help find your ideal match.
Frequently Asked Questions
9. What will my responses / data be used for?

The data collected in the application form will be used by Brancher to help you find your ideal
match, and for research purposes (e.g. to evaluate the effectiveness of this program).

10. Who will have access to my data?

The data is analysed, stored and used by Brancher. No one at Women in Media will have access to
any individual results. Brancher may report on high level theme findings to Women in Media (e.g.
what the common career goals for mentees, what do mentors want to get out of the program) to
help Women in Media further support the cohort, however all data will be de-identified and
aggregated for reporting.

11. How will be data be stored?

All results are confidential, and will be stored and saved securely. Further, Brancher will take all
reasonable steps to permanently de-identify the data when it is no longer needed (at the end of the
12 month program).

12. How much does it cost?

The 2019 program is sponsored by Women in Media and Brancher, so there is no cost to join the
program and be a mentee or mentor. Optional events (e.g. networking/professional development
events) throughout the year may involve a small charge to cover costs.

13. What is the commitment?

The minimum time commitment is meeting with your mentee/mentor once per month. We also
strongly recommend that both mentees and mentors attend our group mentoring events (kick off
event, 6 month event, and celebratory12 month event). We encourage you to read our Mentoring
Guide for more information (and a self-evaluation) as to whether you are ready to be a
mentee/mentor, and commit to the program's expectations.

14. Where do we meet?

This is up to you both, by arrangement. Consider where you will both feel comfortable. This might
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be a coffee shop, a cafe, a workplace, a library, a park, or a bar. Whilst a coffee shop can be nice
and casual, consider whether your coffee meetings are turning into a gossip session rather than
helpful coaching. We suggest that to get the most out of your relationship mentors and mentees
decide whether their meetings will be face-to-face, over the phone or via email – or a mixture. After
the first couple of sessions face-to-face and as the mentee’s needs change, a phone call is
sufficient.
Frequently Asked Questions
15. What if the mentoring relationship is not working?

Whilst we do our best to create the "ideal" match, incompatibility is part of life and is no one’s fault!
If either the mentor or the mentee (or both) face difficulties with their mentoring relationship, the

STNEMTTIMMOC YM
first step is to try and resolve the issue/s by having an open feedback conversation. By exploring
issues objectively, some problems can be diffused at an early stage.
If this is not possible, the Mentoring Agreement contains a ‘No Fault’ clause, which enables either
the mentor or the mentee to end the mentoring relationship at any time without any blame
attached. In this case, after speaking directly to hello@brancher.com.au - participants must notify
their mentoring match of their decision to end the relationship.

16. What if the mentee is proving hard to contact or keeps breaking appointments?

Everyone is busy, so please be patient. But mutual respect around arrangements is vital. If
discussing this with each other hasn’t improved matters, please contact the Women in Media
Mentoring Program Lead.

17. What if the mentee seeks specific advice on handling office politics or mental
health/financial concerns?

Your role is as a mentor and coach, not a lawyer or a therapist. Establish early on the limits of what
advice you are willing to offer.

18. What if my mentee keeps hinting that they want me to help them get a job (or open up
my network)?

Remind your mentee that the purpose of this mentoring program is not to provide them with a job,
rather it is to help them grow as a person and professional. You may want to refer them to this
Mentoring Guide (which clearly states that it is not a mentor's role to get them a job). If the mentee
continues to have unrealistic expectations of the program, please contact the Women in Media
Mentoring Program Lead.
 DREAM BIG,
WORK HARD,
MAINTAIN FOCUS,
+
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH

STRONG
MENTORS.
Contacts
For mentoring general enquires:

Danielle Blewett | E: danielleblewett60@gmail.com | M: 0400 642 794

Linda Hunt | E: linda.hunt@utas.edu.au | M: 0409 113 909

Confidential mentoring concerns (e.g. request to change mentees/mentors), or technical issues:

Team Brancher | E: hello@brancher.com.au