A new awards scheme which aims to raise awareness of the value of mentoring programmes has been launched by social networking site horsesmouth.co.uk
The scheme, sponsored by directories company Yell, will celebrate the ‘unsung’ role that mentors often play in helping small businesses and start ups in the UK flourish.
Judging will be based on what horsesmouth deems the ‘M-Factor’ – a combination of three key attributes which include friendliness, helpfulness and timeliness.
The winners will eventually be decided upon by a panel of business and coaching experts including Maxine Benson, co founder of Everywoman and Professor David Clutterbuck, co-founder of the European Mentoring Centre and one of Europe’s leading writers and thinkers in this area.
The winning mentor will receive a £1,000 cash prize plus a private mentoring breakfast with a business hero of their choice. Potential ‘prize mentors’ supporting the award include Dame Mary Perkins, founder of Specsavers and Sahar Hashemi, co-founder of CoffeeRepublic. If chose as the prize mentor, Dame Mary has offered to fly the winner to Guernsey for a tour of her head office, a personal mentoring session and a visit to St Peter Port.
Mary Teresa Rainey, founder of horsesmouth said that it can be difficult for small businesses as to network with their peers, which is why mentorship becomes even more vital. “Running a small business can be incredibly rewarding but it can sometimes feel a little lonely, as small businesses don’t have the same support networks that larger organisations would naturally provide.”
horsesmouth and Yell are now calling for entries about inspirational mentors, who can be either formal mentors or supportive colleagues, business peers or family. To nominate a mentor, small business owners and managers can log on to the horsesmouth website and complete and entry form.
© Crimson Business Ltd.
