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Human Capital Management

NRCS Mentoring Life-Cycle

Updated 05/12/2009

The 2009 Mentoring Application Phase will begin nationally in May 2009. Click here to learn more about the application process and timeline.  Each local area will decide when to initiate their implementation of NRCS Mentoring. 

The following diagram outlines the full life-cycle of NRCS Mentoring to give you a broad understanding of how NRCS Mentoring will work.  The life-cycle has six phases, including:  Marketing, Application, Matching, Training, Mentoring, and Evaluation and Assessment.  The diagram describes the required activities and indicates who is responsible for what in each phase of the NRCS Mentoring life-cycle.

Once the Application Phase ends, the applications will be reviewed by the local area Mentoring Coordinator and a local matching panel.  Eligible applicants will be selected as mentors or protégés, and matched with a suitable partner. Mentors and protégés will then participate in the required training and orientation sessions. Mentors and protégés will learn more about NRCS Mentoring at these training sessions and receive helpful tools and resources. Additionally, mentors and protégés will complete a Mentoring Agreement to establish mutually agreed-upon mentoring goals and develop a Mentoring Plan.

Over the course of the Mentoring Phase, lasting one year, the mentor and protégé will meet face-to-face and virtually, to work towards achieving the agreed upon objectives and goals in the Mentoring Agreement and Mentoring Plan. The Evaluation and Assessment Phase will assess NRCS Mentoring success and define recommendations for improving NRCS Mentoring in the future.

 There are 6 phases in the mentoring lifecycle: Marketing, Application, Matching, Training, Mentoring and Evaluation/Assessment. The national mentoring coordinator provides support and guidance to all phases. The local mentoring coordinators market the program, facilitate the matching process, and communicates with everyone involved. The local mentoring coordinators also facilitate the Mentor training and the Mentor and protégé orientation. During the mentoring phase, the local coordinator checks-in with mentors and protégés to evaluate the effectiveness of the relationship. Finally the mentoring coordinator provides evaluation data to the national mentoring coordinator. Both the mentor and protégé submit online applications. These applications must be approved by their supervisors. The mentors attend a 2 day training session and both the mentors and protégés attend an orientation session. During the mentoring phase they meet on a regular basis to achieve the mentoring goals. NRCS leadership supports mentoring by providing support and resources.

Click here to enlarge NRCS Mentoring Life-Cycle