DCnw Mentoring programme
Developing dance professionals through experience and perspective
The Dance Consortia North West Mentoring Programme is designed to support the development of dance professionals by providing the benefits of a supportive and challenging relationship with an accomplished mentor who can bring a fresh perspective to their situation.
Mentees will be supported to maximise their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be. Mentors will get to know you and your challenges and use their understanding and personal experience to help you meet the goals that you set.
Mentees should be working in dance, have potential for growth and exciting ideas. Applicants can be from any dance practice and may include artists, producers administrators or other creatives.
Mentoring and learning can be undertaken at any stage in one’s career.
Mentors may be experienced dance professionals, from dance companies, venues, higher education programme or independent dance artists. A mentor will share his or her experience to assist their mentee to consider their career development, acquire further skills, find solutions to problems, develop confidence and explore new techniques to help the fulfilment of their ambitions and/or the performance of their organisation. It is not 1:1 training or project advice.
There will be learning on both sides. Mentors and mentees can sharpen their development skills, improve their interpersonal communications and self-awareness and discover new ways of problem solving. Mentors can then apply these skills in their own workplace. They will also gain a broader understanding of the region’s dance ecology and work with new artists and networks.
The aim of the programme is a more vibrant, successful dance sector in the North West.
Helping dance professionals to fulfil their potential
Passionate about dance and your career? Our dance mentoring programme can help you achieve your ambitions. Down the application pack and apply today.
how the programme works
There is an emphasis on preparation to ensure that both parties gain maximum benefit
All mentees first complete a self-evaluation form to enable the individual to consider carefully his/her development needs and the best way of meeting those needs. This then informs the completion of an application form. These two forms together with the mentee’s CV or career summary and, where appropriate job description, are submitted to the Partnerships Director. (Much of this can be submitted in video format). The mentee will then attend a preparatory induction session to ensure an understanding of how the scheme operates and what can be expected.
Mentors are required to submit a registration form, a CV and, where appropriate, a job description. Following registration onto the scheme, mentors are also required to attend an induction session to ensure an appropriate understanding and expectation of the programme.
Following an interview, training, matching and introduction process, all mentoring relationships are confirmed on paper and agreed goals set. This is important to ensure that meetings have a clear focus and it also provides legal protection for the volunteer mentors.
The length of a mentoring relationship is likely to be about eight or nine monthly meetings, but there may be variations around this.
At the end of the relationship a final report form will be sent to both parties to check whether the agreed objectives have been achieved.
Please note that the time required for the matching process will vary according to availability of suitable mentors. We will endeavour to match all mentees with a mentor, but some may not be matched.
We encourage applications from those who are under-represented and/or marginalised in our sector and society, including those of African diaspora heritage, South Asian, East Asian, South-East Asian heritage, mixed heritage, and those who have faced other socio-economic barriers, those who identify as LGBTQ+, and disabled people.
Contact dcnw@cheshiredance.org with any questions or to arrange a conversation about the programme.
Alternatively, download and complete an application pack below.