B-MEntor: Call for mentees and mentors for the January 2015 round

Call for mentees and mentors for the January 2015 round Mentees: Are you an early career researcher or lecturer? Are you from a Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) background? Would you value a trained and committed mentor from a different university to support you through the next stage of your career? Mentors: Do you enjoy mentoring? Would you like to make a personal commitment to tackling the underrepresentation of BME staff in senior academic roles? We are currently recruiting the next cohort of mentees and mentors for B-MEntor, the cross-institutional London mentoring scheme for academic and research staff from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds.

It is run in partnership with Kings College London, the London School of Economics and Queen Mary University, London. It is a well-established programme which was shortlisted for two national awards in 2014: the ENEI Tapping into Talent award and the Race for Opportunity Developing Talent (Progression) Award.

Why is there a scheme just for BME staff?

BME staff are significantly under represented at senior levels in all four institutions and this scheme will help address these inequalities by:

• Ensuring staff from BME backgrounds are supported to reach their potential
• Helping to advance the careers of BME staff sharing information outside the usual networks and encouraging applications for promotion to senior positions
• Reducing feelings of isolation for staff who do not work in ethnically diverse areas

Praise for the B-MEntor scheme:

"I benefited hugely from the B-Mentor scheme. I have been working in higher education for nearly 15 years, and yet this was the first opportunity I have had to meet with other BME members of staff, and to discuss openly issues and obstacles faced by BME staff working in higher education. My mentor who was also from a BME background really understood the challenges that BME staff face, and gave me invaluable support and advice. He encouraged me to apply for promotion, and gave me practical help with how best to make my application. I have recently discovered that my application for promotion was successful. I may well not have applied for promotion or put forward as strong an application had it not been for my mentor. Now that I have been promoted I now have the chance myself to act as a mentor to BME staff. Knowing just how much the scheme has benefited me both personally and professionally I am certainly going to do this". (Senior Lecturer, University College London)."

Am I eligible?

Mentees: should be from post-doc to lecturer level and self-identify as being from Black and Minority Ethnic background e.g. not White European. The mentee application form is here

Mentors: must be at Senior Lecturer, Reader or Professorial level. Mentors can be from any ethnic background. The mentor application form is here

The forms should be emailed to Sonal Bharadva equalities@ucl.ac.uk, Project Administrator by Friday 19th December.

How can I find out more?

If you would like more information about the scheme please attend one of the lunchtime information sessions:

• UCL: 1-2pm, 2nd December, Galton Lecture Theatre, 1st Floor, 1-19 Torrington Place, London WC1E 6BT.
• Kings: 1-2pm, 11th December, Room B12 James Clerk Maxwell Building, Waterloo campus.
• LSE, 12-1pm, 11th December, 32 L.B.07, 32 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London WCA 3PH
• Queen Mary: 1-2pm, 18th November, G O Jones Building, Room 208, Mile End Campus, Mile End Road, E1 4NS

If you are unable to attend an information session please contact Sarah Guise s.guise@ucl.ac.uk with any questions you have before submitting an application form.

Is there any preparation for the scheme?

The January induction dates are:

Mentees

• Mon 12 Jan, 4.30-6.30pm, QMUL, Room 2.41, The Bancroft Building, Mile End Campus
• Tues 13 Jan, 10.00-12.00pm, QMUL, Room 1.25, Arts One Building, Mile End Camp
• Tues 13 Jan, 2.00-4.00pm, UCL, Room 1007, 10th Floor, 1-19 Torrington Place

Mentors

• Wed 21 Jan 2.00-4.00pm, UCL, Room 803, 8th Floor, 1-19 Torrington Place.
• Fri 23 Jan, 10.00-12.00pm, Connaught House, 7TH floor Room 7.05
• Mon 2 Feb, 4.30-6.30pm, King's College, Room B12 James Clerk Maxwell Building, Waterloo campus 

Sarah Guise, Head of Equalities and Diversity, Human Resources Division