Mentoring

      In Toastmasters, most of the mentors are mentees or protégés themselves. A mentor is a member who provides guidance and support to protégé to reach his or her goals. They are positive, supportive, dependable, and caring.  Coaching is different from mentoring. Protégé in mentoring determines the tasks and steps of accomplishment. Coaching has more skill-specific involvement.

      Now, who is a protégé? A protégé is a member who seeks guidance and support from a mentor to reach his or her goals. Members with years of experience can benefit from a mentor's support as much as a new member working toward his or her first speech. Having a mentor benefits me a lot.

     In Pathways, members learn about mentorship in the “Introduction to Toastmasters Mentoring” project at Level 2. There is also the Pathways Mentor Program. After completing a short-term mentorship, the skills are applied to commit to a longer, six-month mentorship. After completion of the Pathways Mentor Program, the member receives a certificate. In addition, Toastmasters and Base Camp profiles will show that the member is a designated Pathways Mentor.