Mentorship
The BCASBO Mentorship Program is a 12-month program designed to prepare protégés – newly appointed secretary treasurers, assistant secretary treasurers, or directors of finance (or equivalent) – to be successful in their roles. Through an application process, protégés are matched with a mentor – current or recently retired BCASBO members. Mentors provide coaching, ideas, and leadership development opportunities to support protégés as they navigate their role in the K-12 education sector.
Goals of the Program
- Assist new secretary-treasurers (ST), assistant secretary-treasurers (AST), and directors of finance (DoF) in developing a vision for their role
- Provide knowledge and skills required to be successful in these leadership roles
- Provide opportunities for self-reflection and self-assessment with supportive feedback from experienced and successful practitioners
- Develop contacts and establish networks to share best practices across school districts
- Help build capacity related to decision making and working with Boards of Education
- Assist in the understanding of the complexities, context, and unique challenges of the specific school district
Roles and Expectations
A protégé is a newcomer or individual changing positions within the school business profession who is eager to grow in their new role. A protégé is honest, forthcoming, and willing to share thoughts. They are committed to personal growth, continuous learning, and excellence in the profession.
Successful protégés will strive to:
- Raise professional and career challenges for discussion.
- Complete the leadership skills self-assessment and create a development plan with their mentor.
- Be willing to learn from and with their mentor.
- Make their own decisions.
- Know when to ask for advice.
- Take advantage of professional development opportunities suggested by their mentor.
- Share openly with their mentor.
- Be open to receiving constructive feedback. Use feedback wisely.
- Respect their mentor’s time.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Express thanks and appreciation to the mentor. Let the mentor know how suggestions have been applied or ideas used.
Estimated Time Commitment over 12 Months (Sept – Aug)
- Monthly meetings (1 hour) with mentor (virtual or in-person), consider a half or full day kick off meeting (in person if possible).
- Preparation, reflection, and formal learning time each month (1 – 3 hours per month).
- Possible meetings at AGM or Conferences.
- Provide feedback and input to Mentorship Committee (1 – 2 hours per year).
A mentor is any individual who provides newcomers or individuals changing positions within the school business profession with support, coaching, guidance, reinforcement, and constructive examples. Mentors are good listeners, people who care, who understand school business, and want protégés to be successful.
- Mentors will be selected from successful current or recently retired secretary-treasurer, assistant secretary-treasurer, and director of finance roles.
- Mentors will be expected to attend training for the mentorship role at the start of the program.
- Mentors can work with up to four (4) protégés in one year, based on their availability and the matching process.
Successful mentors will strive to:
- Serve as a positive professional role model.
- Complete the leadership skills self-assessment to aid in the mentor-protégé matching process.
- Help create a development plan for the protégé and suggest related learning opportunities.
- Foster, convey and uphold the standards, norms and values of the school business profession and the BCASBO Code of Ethics.
- Share the knowledge, skills, and dispositions required to be successful in leadership roles.
- Provide the protégé with opportunities for self-reflection and self-assessment with supportive and constructive feedback.
- Assist the protégé to develop independence and self-management in their roles.
- Assist the protégé to develop contacts and to establish networks to share best practices.
- Help build capacity related to decision making and working with Boards of Education.
- Assist the protégé in the understanding of the complexities, context, and unique challenges of the education sector.
- Support, encourage and inspire the protégé. Share openly with their protégé.
- Help problem solve and identify potential solutions (including relevant resources). Encourage the protégé to be empowered and take ownership of his/her challenges.
- Respond in a timely fashion. Be available.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Express thanks and appreciation to the protégé.
Estimated Time Commitment (per Protégé) over 12 Months
- Monthly meetings (likely 1 hour) with Protégé (virtual or in-person), consider a half or full day kick off meeting (in person if possible)
- Preparation for meetings (0.5 – 1 hour per month)
- Meetings at AGM or Conferences
- Provide feedback and input to Mentorship Committee (1 – 2 hours per year)
Program Components
- Application and Self-Assessment Process
- Both mentors and protégés complete the application form to apply for the program, including completing the BC Education Leadership Competency Self-Assessment to aid in the matching process
- Matching Process
- Mentors and Proteges are matched based on key criteria:
- District / location
- Skill set matches based on self-assessment
- Specific requests
- Mentor Training
- Mentors attend training to prepare for their role
- Kick off and Development Plan
- Mentor and protégé establish their relationship, process, and meeting cadence for the year
- Mentor and protégé jointly create a development plan based on the self-assessment and personal goals
- One-on-one Meetings
- Mentors and protégés meet minimum monthly (virtually or in-person)
- Formal Training (virtual or in-person)
- Based on common development needs, formal training may be developed and delivered to the Mentorship Program participants
- Mid-year and Year-end Reviews
- Mentor and protégé complete mid-year and year-end reviews to assess progress
- Program Feedback and Evaluation
- Mentors and protégés provide feedback on the program