A packed room at the Brehon Hotel buzzed with excitement as the Fórsa Skills Academy unveiled its new mentoring programme during the union’s recent national conference. This new initiative is designed to bolster practical skills and build confidence among activists and workplace representatives. 

With its aims to provide crucial “on the ground” support, complementing the core training programmes offered by the Skills Academy, the programme is based on a simple idea.

“It's just a really simple concept to pair people up together, trying to decipher the world of the trade union, to understand all of the work that we do inside of it and also to provide support,” said Fiona Dunne, Fórsa’s director of training.

Helen Sheridan, Chair of the membership training NEC sub-committee, and one of the proponents of the new programme, emphasised the inter-generational value of mentorship: "The idea of this mentoring programme is to pass on the experience reps have gained. Even as people retire or leave their employment, this programme ensures they stay connected to the union and those who follow in their footsteps."

Fiona Dunne highlighted the accessibility issues faced by new members: “I've worked with students for a long number of years, and one of the first things they say to me about the trade union movement is that it's impenetrable, and this is about trying to make us less impenetrable. It’s about reaching out our hands because they also said that once they come inside, we are fantastic to work with!”

Fiona McGrath, a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) from Dublin, shared her firsthand experience with the programme: "I became a rep for my school last September and was unaware of the mentoring programme initially. During the first day of training in February, I had no clue what to expect. By the end of the training, I knew exactly what I needed to be an effective rep. The programme provided the insight and support I needed."

When asked if she would recommend the programme to other members, Fiona's response was unequivocal: "Absolutely. Getting paired with someone more experienced offers invaluable insights."

The mentoring programme runs from September 2024 to March 2025. Members can register to be either a mentor or a mentee here. To participate in the training workshop at the end of the summer, applications must be submitted by Tuesday, 6th August 2024. For more information, visit the Fórsa Mentoring Programme webpage .

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