Glossary

Mentoring Programme

A mentoring programme is a structured series of mentoring relationships, sessions, goals, activities and review points designed to help mentees make progress. **A mentoring programme gives the relationship a repeatable operating system.** It can be informal and one-to-one, or formal with matching, standards and evaluation.

Why a mentoring programme matters

Structure protects quality. MENTOR says its Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring were created as a research-based resource for programmes that design and deliver mentoring services, Checked 2026-07-09 on MENTOR. Independent mentors can borrow the principle without copying a corporate scheme.

For paid mentors, the programme should make expectations explicit: what the mentee wants, what sessions cover, what happens between sessions, what evidence is reviewed and when renewal is discussed. For a solo mentor, this can be a one-page operating rhythm. The document should be simple enough to share with the mentee.

How it works in practice

A simple mentoring programme can have 4 parts: intake, baseline, session cycle and review. The session cycle includes session prep, notes, action tracking and value recap.

Stage	Purpose
Intake	Clarify goal, context and constraints.
Baseline	Record current metric or situation.
Session cycle	Prepare, meet, track actions, recap.
Review	Assess progress and decide next focus.

Common mistakes

Calling a package a programme without a clear review rhythm.
Skipping the baseline because the first call feels obvious.
Letting every mentee follow the same path despite different goals.
Measuring attendance but not progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is included in a mentoring programme?

A mentoring programme usually includes goals, matching or intake, session rhythm, action tracking, resources and review points.

How long should a mentoring programme last?

Independent mentoring programmes often run monthly or quarterly. The right length depends on the goal and how quickly evidence can appear.

Is a mentoring programme different from coaching?

Yes, although they overlap. Mentoring often includes advice from experience, while coaching often uses questions and client-led discovery.

How do you measure a mentoring programme?

Measure retention, attendance, action completion, goal progress and qualitative feedback. Use a baseline so the review is grounded.