BUSINESS MENTORING EVENT
"A company actively engaged in youth mentoring efforts is making a smart business decision on multiple levels. Beyond helping to shape and develop marketable career skills, come equally important benefits of enhanced confidence and self-esteem that young people experience from knowing that there is an adult volunteer who cares about their future development."
-Jim Coyne, Senior Manager, Corporate Community Alliances, AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals LP
Business mentoring breakfasts or luncheons are a peer-to-peer networking tool used to introduce businesses to mentoring opportunities and how they might participate. It is also an opportunity for businesses to learn about the Business Mentoring Alliance (BMA) and the work of the Delaware Mentoring Council (DMC). These events are sponsored by a business already involved in mentoring whose employees can talk about their company involvement, share mentoring stories and encourage their business friends to get involved. The event is small, usually 8-15 total attendees. (That’s 4-10 new business prospects, staff and the supporting business.) They are professional but informal.
Bullet points listed below with an * indicate where the host business (host) takes the lead or works with the BMA/DMC contact to accomplish the task.
Before the Event:
- * The host provides the food and a location for the event.
- * The host (preferably a high level executive or someone well known in the community) compiles a list of 15-20 business contacts he/she would like to invite to the event. This list should include name, company name, title, phone number, E-mail and mailing address of invitees and given to the BMA/DMC contact.
- The BMA/DMC contact assigned will compose a letter of invitation personalized for the invitees.
- * The letters are passed on to the host for approval and signature and are sent out on company letterhead.
- * The BMA/DMC contact will assist the host in reviewing RSVPs and placing follow-up calls to non RSVPs. Personal contact is the key.
- * The BMA/DMC contact will assist in identifying and contacting a guest speaker as needed. Guest speakers are asked to present for 10-15 minutes.
- The BMA/DMC will make arrangements for a local mentor coordinator to attend. The mentor coordinator should be prepared to make a brief presentation and answer questions. The mentor coordinator should have mentor applications available.
- *A final list of attendees is compiled by the BMA/DMC contact who will then prepare an agenda for host approval always allowing time for questions and answers.
