2024 NCDA Mentoring:
"Mentoring Moments" at the Conference!

Mentoring for NCDA members has been designed based on NCDA's mission to provide professional development to inspire and empower individuals to achieve their career and life goals. In order to learn and grow, we need each other and NCDA. Member participation in mentoring moments will support the connections that are valuable to early professionals and experienced professionals alike.

Did you have a "Mentoring Moment" at the Conference?

During the 2024 NCDA Global Career Development Conference, professionals had the opportunity to engage in “Mentoring Moments”. This15–30-minute private meeting allowed experienced career development professionals to connect with early career development professionals to support career wellness. To continue to foster a sense of belonging and community as well as facilitate meaningful and personalized conversations, the Mentoring Moment experience will be explored for future conferences.

Watch here for more details about NCDA mentoring!

In 2022-2023, the NCDA Mentoring Program was a pilot program approved by the NCDA Board. The success of this program indicated that members want more such options in the future. Comments from participants included:

• I highly recommend that the NCDA Mentoring Program be continued. It is a wonderful opportunity for both Mentor and mentee to share experiences.
• It's great to meet new colleagues and support one another.
• The profound connection between two individuals and two professionals creates a significant impact.
• Perhaps [offer] a venue for "first timers" to meet with past leaders, not necessarily "mentoring" but connecting and sharing information.
• More virtual check-ins would be helpful for exposure to others to get ideas from each other to contribute to their own mentorship.
• I think webinars would be a great addition to to the mentoring program as it will help aide in the learning for both the mentor and mentee.

NCDA appreciates the participants and responses to the pilot program and is excited to offer a new program in 2024.

Purpose and Objectives

The NCDA Mentoring Program is an inclusive, multicultural leadership development opportunity dedicated to early and seasoned career professionals. The intent is to advance the profession through the engagement of meaningful conversations, the achievement of goals, and a shared wisdom that supports continuous career development and lifelong learning. Program objectives are to:

1. Provide guidance and support to career professionals
2. Encourage an exchange of ideas, practice and scholarship
3. Connect members, so as to foster community and longevity with NCDA
4. Facilitate NCDA's mission of providing professional development
5. Promote the strategic plan of NCDA.

Benefits of Participation

Mentees:

• Improved professional skills, confidence, and career development.
• Valuable insights, tips, and resources from established career professionals.
• Expanded professional networks.
• Fortified connection to NCDA, the premier professional association for those in the field of career development.
• Potential progression into leadership roles or other NCDA opportunities, such as committee involvement or the Leadership Academy.
• Enhanced quality of professional and personal lives:
  • Boosts self-esteem, encourages positive risk-taking
  • Improves awareness and being open to new perspectives
  • Increases knowledge of trends and resources (e.g., technical tools such as apps)
  • Reduces stress – you are not alone
  • Strengthens skills sets and provides alerts to skills taken for granted

Mentors:

• Acknowledgment and recognition as a leader in the field of career development.
• A sense of fulfillment and personal/professional satisfaction by giving back to  the profession - a proud aspect of your professional legacy
• Enhanced leadership, coaching, and feedback skills.
• Increases social connection / social capital
• Continued professional development and learning.
  • Fosters reflective practices
  • Encourages an open mind set (versus a fixed mind set)
  • Exposure to new perspectives, theories, and paradigms through a reciprocal learning environment
• Fortified connection to NCDA, the premier professional association for those in the field of career development

The program is free, yet participants must be NCDA members.

DISCLAIMER: The 2024 “Mentoring Moments” opportunity is not intended to be a one-on-one matching program, a clinical supervisory session, a job interview, or a career counseling commitment. All participants are expected to behave ethically and release NCDA from any and all form of damages. No outcomes are guaranteed. View the full legal disclaimer and non-discriminatory statement at www.ncda.org 

Best Practices and Questions

Participants in the Mentoring Program are encouraged to exchange ideas and concerns. Please watch for new details to be posted below. This is for participants only.

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