FAQ

 

Who can Participate?

Mentors: Individuals in the biotech industry in Ontario who want to give back to their community, share their experiences, and provide advice to growing professionals.

Protégés: This position is open only to current LSO members (See http://www.lifesciencesontario.ca/join-us), regardless of the industry they belong to.

If you are looking for a mentor, but think you could help out someone earlier in their career – we encourage you to sign up for both roles!

Time Commitment

Both the mentor and protégé should be willing to set aside time for the relationship, however the program is designed to be flexible depending on the needs of the individuals. The committee recommends meeting at least once a month and continuing the relationship for 6 months to a year. Participants are also expected to work on development objectives in between meetings, as determined between the mentor and protégé during their discussions.

What does it take to be a good mentor/protégé?

Some of the qualities of a good mentor include: strong communication and coaching skills; a willingness to share experiences; able to build trust; and a desire to help others.

A good protégé should be: motivated; have a desire to learn and better themselves; be open to feedback; be committed to putting time and effort into the partnership.

For more information, plesae see the mentor and protégé sections in the Guidebook.

Support provided by LSO

The role of the LSO Mentorship committee is to provide a high quality structured program to support the Mentor/Protégé pair by providing:

  • Guidelines, training and tools for the protégé and mentor
  • Regular reminders, updates, and support
  • A feedback mechanism and continual program improvement
  • Opportunities to network with other program participants

What is the cost to participate in the Mentorship Program?

The LSO mentorship program is free to all mentors. However, to be considered for matching with a mentor, protégés must be active LSO members.

To join LSO, click here: http://www.lifesciencesontario.ca/join-us