3 minute read
THE BENEFITS OF USING AN ONLINE MENTORING
“Technology is best when it brings people together. ” Matt Mullenweg, Social Media Entrepreneur
Almost a decade ago, sfG MentorNet was created to provide a secure, online mentoring platform which would have the ability to streamline the overall process between mentor, mentee and administrator.
Fast forward to 2022, we have customers joining us from all over the world, making now as good a time as any to shout about the benefits of using an online mentoring platform, like sfG MentorNet, to effectively manage your mentoring and coaching programmes.
Each organisation and workplace has its own challenges when running mentoring schemes, and one major benefit of using an online mentoring platform is the ‘ all in one ’ functionality that can help target the common pain points we always hear about.
By taking a mentoring programme and moving it to an online platform, administrators can say goodbye to the days of flicking between multiple spreadsheets or Word documents that contain user's information profiles, matchmaking requirements or feedback. With an online mentoring platform, this is all stored in one easy-tonavigate system.
Let’ s take a closer look at some of the functional benefits you can expect when using an online mentoring platform:
It’ s no surprise that with running a mentoring programme comes some element of administration. However, by using an online mentoring platform, administrators can heavily reduce the work involved with the usual arduous processes – one of the major ones for most of our customers being matchmaking.
With sfG MentorNet - programme administrators will receive an automated email notification when someone registers for the programme, and at a click of a button administrators can decide how to manage this registration.
sfG MentorNet allows programme leads and administrators, at a glance, a clear visual of the mentees and mentors who are still waiting to be matched, along with their skill sets.
Within the platform, personalised evaluations can be created, as well as reports on things such as number of logins and mentee/mentor relationship activity – all of which are stored online and are quick and easy to access. With sfG MentorNet, you can rest assured that full consideration has been made regarding compliance in terms of data protection and the safeguarding of vulnerable groups.
As users are logging onto the system using username and passwords, they can then communicate without needing to share any personal information such as an email address or phone number, protecting their identities and private information.
Programme administrators can manage access to areas of the online platform, such as forums or resources – and can be notified when certain words or phrases are used within the chat functionality – allowing easy moderation.
sfG MentorNet can be used for managing mentoring programmes that are solely online, face-to-face, or a hybrid mixture of the two.
Historically, where an individual mentor or mentee lived could have had a large effect on their ability to access, or provide, mentoring. By using an online platform, individuals can easily sign in and engage in their mentoring relationship regardless of where they are based.
sfG MentorNet also has a mobile app, which allows mentees and mentors to catch up ‘ on the go ’ , providing a more convenient and flexible approach for communication.
Reduction of Administration Time Visibility and Safeguarding
No Geographical Restrictions
At sfG MentorNet, we are proud to provide our customers with our secure, online mentoring system – in the knowledge that by using our platform, individuals all over the world have access to educational relationships and guidance, through a safe and secure, user-friendly platform.
“ sfG MentorNet is so efficient. It’ s so good. It has reduced the time we spend on running the scheme and enabled us therefore to continue to offer this valuable service to our members – both mentors and mentees, who each say they benefit” Sarah Loud, Operations Services, EMCC UK
