Apply to be a Peer Mentor

Could you be one of our Peer Mentors?

Click here to download our Peer Mentor Application Form

We’re looking for people with:

• Excellent communication skills;
• Experience of successful community action on climate change or sustainability and desire to share this with others;
• Computer literacy, including experience of Microsoft Office and online forums;
• Ability to travel to visit community groups and social enterprises in your region of Wales, holding a valid driving license and use of a vehicle, available and insured for business use;
• Ability to work on occasional evenings, weekends and to stay away from home overnight, with prior notice;
• Ability to communicate in the medium of Welsh (written and spoken) – desirable but not essential.
• You’ll need to be in Wales, or able to get to parts of Wales easily.

In particular we are currently seeking people who meet one of more of the following criteria:

• based in North or Mid Wales
• Welsh-speaking
• have experience in one or more of the following areas: renewable energy, transport, waste, EVs/EVCP

If this sounds like you, read on….

Peer Mentors on the Egin programme

Egin’s Peer Mentors are community members who have direct experience with taking action on climate change and sustainability at a local level. They are willing to share their knowledge and skills to support and empower other community groups to reach their goals.  

Their role is to support, empower and develop the capacity of community groups, including those who have not had any previous experience of acting on climate change or environmental issues. They work with groups on a peer-to-peer basis, sharing their experience and expertise to help those groups take their first (or next) steps on climate change and sustainability. 

Before Peer Mentors are invited to work with a particular group a Facilitator will have supported that group to identify possible opportunities for action and to produce a preliminary action plan. This action plan determines what kind of mentor support is required (if any) and the Facilitator then helps the group select the most appropriate mentor. 

Peer Mentoring in the Egin programme means to:

• Provide appropriate information, support and inspiration to groups who require the specific knowledge, skills and expertise you have, drawn from your experience of working at the community level;
• Support community groups to take significant steps towards achieving the priority actions they have identified in their action plan. This may include helping a group to prepare for their application to the National Lottery Community Fund for a Sustainable Steps Wales – Egin Grant;
• Update the Action Plans of the groups you work with, summarising your involvement and input;
• Facilitate and motivate the group’s work, whilst ensuring the group is at all times in control of their project;
• If providing any written report to the group, to use the standard template provided by DTA Wales
• Signpost the group to any other agencies, organisations and support services beyond those already identified in their action plan, who may be able to assist them in achieving their objectives (and add these to the action plan);
• Learn from the group and share this experience back with the programme team and your host organisation if applicable;
• Record your work and the group’s progress in the Mentor Assignment Document provided and share this information back with the Facilitator and programme management team using the Egin Online Community; 
• Attend at least 3 hours of DTA Wales’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses per year that are appropriate to you and your work. These are free to all DTA Mentors. (This time is not chargeable); 
• Engage in relevant discussions and reflections on the Egin Online Community and in-person events within agreed parameters.

It doesn’t mean:

• Providing subsidised professional consultancy or advice – e.g. making specific recommendations on matters which may have significant legal, technical or financial consequences, including planning. Even if you are personally qualified to provide such consultancy and advice, you will not offer it through this Peer Mentoring role.
• Carrying out the group’s work for them – e.g. while you may get involved in helping a group to draft a funding application or business plan, design an event, or decide what to plant in their garden, it is not your place as peer mentor to write the document, run the event or carry out the planting on their behalf.

Important things to know:

Peer Mentors may either enter into a direct contract with DTA Wales, or be “hosted” by a not-for-private-profit organisation with whom they are either employed or have a working connection with.

For directly-contracted Peer Mentors a rate of £250 per 7 hour day will be paid for the work carried out for DTA Wales under this programme.

For hosted Peer Mentors a rate of £300 per 7 hour day will be paid to the host organisation for the work carried out for DTA Wales under this programme.

These rates are inclusive of VAT and any associated expenses including travel. The hours are flexible.

Public Liability insurance must be held either by the Peer Mentor (if directly contracted) or by their host organisation (if hosted). 

There is no guarantee that a given Peer Mentor will receive any assignments to directly support a group. The programme is demand-led and responsive to emergent requests. However, as an approved member of the mentoring pool you are welcome to participate in certain programme activities whether or not you have directly supported a group.

Other DTA Wales Programmes

Peer Mentors are at the heart of what we do at Development Trusts Association (DTA) Wales.  Our peer mentors support, empower and develop the capacity of community groups to reach their goals.

Apart from Egin, DTA Wales is also delivering the Social Business Wales programme (in partnership with Cwmpas and funded by the Welsh Government), Community Ownership Fund, and has other programmes in the pipeline.

If your skills are suited to one or more of these other programmes then you may be invited to be assigned as a mentor on these as well. If you accept you will be asked to attend an online induction specific to that programme. There will be no need to sign a separate contract per programme; you only need to sign one contract with DTA Wales.

Interested?

If this sounds suitable for you, please fill in the application form below and email it to egin@dtawales.org.uk. Feel free to email us if you have any questions before filling out the form.

DTA-Mentor-Application-Form – click to download