Scottish Mentoring Network has been in existence since 1997 originally as an informal grouping of individuals and organisations interested in mentoring. Since then, the number of organisations involved in mentoring has increased dramatically, as has the range of provision across all sectors. With funding from the Scottish Executive in April 2005 we were able to formalise the organisation, employ our first National Development Manager and develop a planned programme of work/activities over a 2 year period. The continuation of core funding from the Scottish Government allowed us to further develop the role of SMN and, together with funding from the Big Lottery Dynamic Inclusive Communities Fund, enabled us to establish core services, thematic networks, the SMN Project Quality Award, an evaluation framework, our annual conference and recognition awards.
Scottish Mentoring Network’s strength lies in the experience and skills of our member projects who deliver mentoring services across Scotland. We work with a very wide range of projects offering mentoring to a diverse range of service users. Many will work with what could be termed vulnerable groups but other works in areas such as education, employment, the arts etc. Our role is to connect these members to enable the most effective sharing of good practice. This is best done through the development of Thematic Networks enabling projects to connect either directly or through SMN’s website no matter where they are in Scotland.
We want to provide a distinctively Scottish perspective on mentoring, which is developed and sustained through co-operation and partnership between mentoring providers and users at a national, local and thematic level and policy/decision makers, funders and the academic community.
The overarching aims of Scottish Mentoring Network are:
- To foster a community of good practice in mentoring in Scotland
- To raise awareness and promote the work of Scottish Mentoring Network and its members
- To provide a national forum that will influence the development of mentoring across all sectors and respond to/inform policy, decision makers and funders in Scotland
SMN is an incorporated, not for profit, membership organisation. As such it operates according to a Memorandum and Articles of Association. SMN is also a charity registered in Scotland.
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