Mentoring

WiFCERM Mentoring Programme 2024

Are you looking for a mentor in the Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM), but not sure who to ask, or what to ask them?

Or maybe you’d like to share your experience to help women across FCERM fulfil their potential, but not sure where to start?

Women in FCERM can help

The Women in FCERM Mentoring Programme is designed to connect people who have a particular skill set (mentor) with a small group of individuals (mentees). The groups come together to learn from each other, develop and make progress toward their personal and professional goals.  The ‘group’ element of the mentoring programme aims to build and maintain a safe and trusted relationship between the mentors and mentees. This helps everyone to feel comfortable, supported and confident in sharing issues and concerns. The mentoring groups meet face to face and/ or virtually.

The mentoring groups cover specific issues and topics that women have told us they want support and mentoring on. These topics range from personal skills to career progression to work-life balance.

Our mentors and mentees work for many different organisations in the flood and water industry. This provides a range of experiences and backgrounds.

Mentors do not need to have experience of being a mentor (or be a woman). We can provide training and advice for mentors at the start of the programme.

In 2022, we offered our mentees and mentors unique access to a series of training sessions as part of the mentoring programme. This enabled our mentees and mentors to find out more about other aspects of development outside their chosen mentoring group.

Success of the WiFCERM Programme

Since 2019, WiFCERM have supported over 300 women to grow personally and professionally through the successful group mentoring programme.

In 2022, the WiFCERM mentoring programme was shortlisted for a DEFRA Award in the category of ‘Uniting us’, and in 2021 was featured in CIWEM’s ‘The Environment’ magazine. The article highlights the benefits of mentoring and included stories from several mentors and mentees from the 2021 WiFCERM mentoring programme. You can read the ‘Me and my mentor’ article here.

Feedback from previous mentoring programmes also shows the benefits that mentees and mentors gained from their mentoring experience.

Our Mentors said:

‘It was my pleasure to be as a mentor on this platform and really loved sharing my experiences with other women who face similar challenges and I also learnt from theirs. It was a very positive journey. Thank you to give me this opportunity to be part of it’.

‘Group mentoring is great because you get to spend time with a group of thoughtful and inspiring women. And if I can share my experiences and perspectives to help them succeed then that makes me feel honoured and proud. As a mentor I think you learn a lot about yourself and it opens your mind up to differing views, challenges and perspectives. The benefits go both ways!’

Our Mentees said:

‘I just wanted to share the news that I have a new role. I’ve really benefited from your mentoring in the ‘Women in FCRM’ pilot so want to say a huge thank you.  The other mentees and I have agreed to continue supporting one another with quarterly check-ins, and ad hoc meetings as necessary so it’s had a really positive impact. We all seem to be driving forward with new opportunities and roles’.

‘I liked the small group and felt it worked very well in terms of shyness etc.  The content was good and definitely covered the subject.  We all had time to practice and put ourselves out of our comfort zones.  I also liked the group helped shape the mentoring to what we all needed’.

Applications for the next WiFCERM Mentoring Programme will open on Monday 26 February 2024

Both mentors and mentees are expected to commit 9-12 months to the programme.
All mentors and mentees are expected to read the information pack below before they apply for the mentoring programme.

Applications will close on Sunday 17 March 2024. We will use the application forms to match mentees and mentors and create our mentoring groups. Successful mentors and mentees will be notified in early April.

Mentors can apply here
Mentees can apply here

For any queries, please contact us at WiFCERMMentoring@environment-agency.gov.uk.