Our People and Organisational Development Strategy sets out how we aim to achieve this and more information on this can be found here.

As part of this commitment, we are pleased to announce the launch of a new University-wide Coaching, Mentoring and Buddying (CMB) Framework to support colleagues with their professional development, in conjunction with the School-based mentoring schemes that exist.

The CMB Framework helps to ensure that all colleagues – regardless of job family or grade – can, if they want to, apply to have access to a coach, mentor or buddy to support them to identify and achieve their professional development goals.

More information about what each of these means can be found below.

Coaching

A coach works with an individual for a short, focused period, typically four hours over a six-month period, on performance-related issues. This enables the coachee to clarify what their professional goals are and to create new ways to resolve issues, unlock their potential and develop new skills and strategies, so that they feel empowered to act and maximise their performance.

Mentoring

Mentoring is a longer-term relationship, typically over 12 months. A mentor is a more experienced colleague (not necessarily a senior colleague) who will apply their knowledge and experience to support the development of a less experienced colleague in achieving their agreed developmental goals.

Sponsorship Mentoring

A sponsorship-mentoring scheme for academic staff developed by SSEHS as part of their Silver Athena SWAN work, is also open to staff in Schools (RTE, teaching, postdoctoral researchers, technical tutors and technicians).

Buddying

Buddying is a knowledge-sharing method in which a peer, usually of a similar role or level of responsibility, is assigned as a first point of contact to a new member of staff or someone who has recently moved into a new role, to enable them to provide advice and support and ensure a smooth transition into a new role.

Buddying will be introduced soon as part of Loughborough’s new Induction Scheme.

These bespoke forms of development have many benefits and enable individuals to learn in an agile way, responding and anticipating a changing context.

The Vice-Chancellor Professor Robert Allison commented: “Continuing professional development is always important and never more so than in the current unprecedented context that the University and its staff are operating in.

“Mentoring, coaching and buddying are excellent ways in which we can all continue to develop ourselves professionally and to provide support for one another. I wholeheartedly endorse the Coaching, Mentoring and Buddying Framework and encourage colleagues to consider how they can be a part of it.”

Ffyona Baker, Director of Organisational Development added: “The new Coaching, Mentoring and Buddying Framework is a cornerstone of our Organisational Development activity. Helping to connect colleagues with one another, to share knowledge and provide support is a great way to develop new skills.

“This is a fantastic addition to the support already offered to colleagues and knowing that it has been developed collaboratively between Organisational Development, Schools and Professional Services gives it a real shared sense of togetherness.”

Further details about the CMB Framework can be found by contacting your School-based mentoring scheme owner or by visiting Organisational Development‘s dedicated website.

The website provides contact details for the School-based schemes and if based within a School, you are encouraged to consider your local mentoring schemes in the first instance.

Please contact Od@lboro.ac.uk if you have any further questions.