International Standards for Mentoring Programmes in Employment or ISMPE is something that Australian Mentor Centre is passionate about helping other mentoring programs with.

'Until recently, the only way to gain a clear picture was to carry out a lot of benchmarking with other organisations. With the publication early in 2003 of the ISMPE, companies can compare the detail of their schemes against six key elements of successful and well-managed schemes in general. The six elements are:

• Clarity of purpose - for both the scheme and each mentoring relationship
• Stakeholder training and briefing
• Processes for selection and matching
• Processes for measurement and review
• Ethics and pastoral care
• Programme administration and participant support.

Created through an iterative process of public consultation with HR professionals and others running a wide variety of mentoring schemes, the Standards are comprehensive. They are currently being piloted on three continents.

A number of organisations have already used the ISMPE as a detailed planning tool for the design and implementation of their mentoring schemes. Being assessed against the ISMPE is beneficial for existing schemes because:

• It identifies real or potential weaknesses, which may prevent the organisation and/or the scheme participants extracting the full value from mentoring; and identifies how those aspects may be improved
• The achievement of a bronze, silver or gold award demonstrates to sponsors that the project has been well-managed.
• It provides a strong motivation for and recognition of existing participants; and a platform for promoting the scheme to new participants
• It is valuable evidence for broader forms of development award, such as Investor in People
• It provides a practical, step by step path to mentoring excellence.'

As from October 2008, there are five international mentoring organisations who form the ISMPE Advisory Board of which AMC is one.  Gilly Johnson (AMC Director) is the current Advisory Board Chair and qualified ISMPE Standards Assessor.

For more information on how your initiative can be benchmarked contact us on info@australianmentorcentre.com.au - this could be vital for your ongoing funding.