The RTPI has been refreshing its records of planners prepared to act as volunteer mentors for the new generation of Licentiates seeking to become chartered members of the RTPI, and also of aspiring planners who would like to be paired with a mentor.
Many Licentiates choose to seek advice from a colleague, when tackling their APC forms. But for others, a measure of independent advice from an experienced professional can be invaluable. When selecting a Mentor, many Licentiates will prefer someone in their own region, with whom they can meet face-to-face. The membership team have noted a developing trend for some Licentiates to prefer a mentor accessible primarily via email, and for some prospective mentors who find email exchanges less constraining on time.
This has the implication that volunteer mentors from the North East could have the opportunity to be an “electronic mentor” to a young planner elsewhere in the country, or overseas, perhaps a resident of an area lacking in suitable potential mentors, or perhaps just someone who prefers an email mentor.
The RTPI Membership Team, which has been refreshing the RTPI’s records of potential mentors, tells us that there are currently 16 North East mentor volunteers recorded, of whom only 6 are still available, as against 46 Licentiates, of whom 27 are still looking for suitable mentors. The biggest demand for mentors being from London and overseas.
If you can set aside any time at all, mentoring can be a very useful and rewarding experience. Recently retired Members could be suitable, so long as they have a good understanding of the APC process, or at least a commitment to learning about it. There is plenty of suitable advice and information available from the RTPI, if you are interested. Look at the RTPI website - Mentoring in APC, telephone 020 7929 9462, contact membership@rtpi.org.uk or search out Philip Woodward, Senior Membership Officer and APC Champion at the RTPI. As a mentor in the past, why not use My RTPI to check that your contact details are up to date?
Twitter
Facebook
Linked In
Flickr