Who can apply to be mentored?
We call people who receive mentorship ‘mentees’. Most of our mentees are PhD students or early-career researchers or practitioners. But you might be a little earlier in your career (for example, a Masters student or professional outside academia, looking to apply for a PhD) or a little further on (e.g. a mid-career professional looking for support and wisdom as you contemplate the next big career step).
The Mentorship Scheme is open to all BSG members. To register as a mentee, you will need to provide your BSG membership number. If you are not a member yet, you can join here: https://www.britishgerontology.org/membership.
You do not need to be a ‘gerontologist’, but your main interest should be related to ageing in some way – whether that’s age-friendly environments, caregiving, healthy ageing, technology, work and retirement, or any of the myriad other age-related subjects explored across the BSG community.
We will ask you about your research interests and your development priorities as part of the mentorship application form (see links below). This will help us to find a good and supportive match for you and your mentor.
Who can apply as a mentor?
Our mentors are usually at least mid-career. You’re likely to start considering yourself a mid-career professional within 5 to 15 years of completing your PhD, or after an equivalent amount of professional experience in non-academic fields. We also welcome mentors who are in more senior roles, and mentors who have retired, whether or not you have continued in an emeritus role – we’re delighted to have the benefit of your experience!
As with mentees, you do not have to be a ‘gerontologist’, but your main interest should be related to ageing in some way. We will ask you about your research interests and the kind of mentoring you’d like to do, as part of the mentorship application form (see links below), to help us find a match that works well for you and your mentee. Each mentor pairing lasts for one year, but you may wish to continue mentoring informally beyond this point; or you might like to stay registered with BSG-ERA and support another mentee the following year. You will be able to let us know your preferences as part of the application process, and can update this at any time.
What does the mentorship scheme involve?
BSG-ERA receives mentorship applications (via our mentee and mentor application forms, linked below), and suggests initial pairings between mentee and mentor. We will share the information you provide as part of your application, and will ask both parties if you are comfortable with the match, before introducing you. You may also choose to have an initial exploratory call before making a decision.
Once a mentorship pairing is confirmed, we ask each pair to commit to one year of mentorship, and to meet (usually online or by phone) at least three times during the course of that year. We will check in with you halfway through the year, and will also ask for some feedback at the end, by means of a short survey.
Although BSG-ERA’s formal role ends after the first year, many mentors and mentees choose to stay in touch beyond that. This is optional, but entirely possible if it suits both parties.
To be beneficial for both parties, the scope and goals of the mentoring relationship should be clearly defined at the start. Depending on career stage, mentees may require support in a range of different areas. We will do our best to match mentors and mentees based on shared research interests and/or priorities for skills development.
If you have any questions or concerns at any time, or want more information about the scheme, you can get in touch with the Mentorship Coordinator on: era@britishgerontology.org
How can I apply?
To apply as a mentee (to be mentored): https://forms.office.com/e/V96vRWYFnk
To apply as a mentor: https://forms.office.com/e/zhXrfYhBdB
If you have any difficulty with the link, or you require this form in an alternative format, please contact us: era@britishgerontology.org.