Manchester Gold

Manchester Gold is managed by the Learning and Organisational Development Team and aims to support staff career development across the University by linking them with the support of a more experienced colleague. First time mentors and mentees are welcome to apply and support is given to both to help the mentoring process. Mentor and mentee will work together over a period of 9 months. The programme has been running for over 17 years, and in this time has facilitated over 1400 mentoring matches. 

If you would like to be involved in Manchester Gold in the future, please register your interest here!  

Click here to register your interest for our next programme!

Click here to register your interest in our next programme!

First time mentors welcome

Inexperienced mentors at all grades are welcome! In 2023, over 160 new Mentors registered with Manchester Gold for the first time. All new and previous Mentors are supported with online resources, skills workshops, and through the peer support network. 97% of respondents to our 2023 Mentor evaluation survey said they agreed that they felt equipped with the skills to mentor effectively.

Who is Manchester Gold Staff for?

The scheme is for any staff member at any grade working at the University who would like support with their career development. Whether you are a member of Professional Services or an Academic, Manchester Gold could work for you.

Previous participants on the scheme have signed up for some of the following reasons, to:

• Develop leadership, managerial or supervisory skills.
• Assist with specific goals, such as achieving academic promotion.
• Help define future career goals more clearly.
• Discuss ways of balancing research and teaching.
• Learn more about the way the University functions, and possible career routes available.
• Explore ways of increasing grant success.
• Get a different perspective on a specific work-related problem.
• Consider how to increase the number of research papers you write and get accepted.
• Address work / life balance.
• Expand networks.
• Develop specific skills.
• Anything else related to career development!

How does Manchester Gold work?

If matched, mentees will be mentored by another member of staff between May 2024 and February 2025. Mentors and mentees normally meet four to five times over this ten-month period, and both will have the opportunity to attend supporting workshops.

The programme involves a time commitment of approximately 15-20 hours over the 9 month period.

Why do people mentor?

One reason is to help themselves. Mentoring helps develop communication and people skills that are transferable into their own workplace. For people wanting to move into management it is a great way to demonstrate skills used for managing others and practice types of conversations encountered in the workplace. It shows an interest in people that can be added to CVs and help with job applications.

Equally, people mentor to meet others, to help others and feel positive about work.

• 'the “feel good” factor; helping people figure out the best path forward; a great way to gain insight into what goes on in other divisions'. [Lecturer]
• 'Chance to pass on my experience to and hopefully help a colleague who I would never have otherwise encountered, and to hopefully have had a positive effect on their career'. [PS colleague]
• 'I just love to mentor and I liked doing it in this more formal setting. I love that I was paired with someone I wouldn’t have met. And I found the support reassuring'. [Researcher]
• 'Not only do I enjoy meeting new people and getting to understand another area of the University, being a mentor has benefitted my own career enabling me to demonstrate skills or knowledge in job applications that I wouldn't have had without being on the programme'. [PS colleague]

What are the benefits of being a mentee?

'I have developed more confidence and self belief'.  [PS colleague]

'I have gained new perspective, tools, and insights on work-life balance and in achieving a better balance between my day-to-day administrative duties and my longer term research goals'. [Senior Lecturer]

'When I joined the mentoring programme my primary aim was to understand the barriers and challenges faced by women from minority backgrounds in professional environments, as well as identify resources and networks that will support my professional growth as a woman from an ethnic minority background… Through mentoring, I have built up ... confidence to progress career wise'. [PS colleague]

'I have developed a different lens through which to view my situation, and a different perspective to look at things'. [Researcher]

In 2022 mentor applications were successfully opened to members of Manchester University Alumni.  This will continue and mentees may have the opportunity to be matched with a mentor from outside of the University.