ALS Mentoring Scheme

The Australian Linguistic Society Mentoring Scheme is a new initiative for members. The aim of this scheme is to connect linguists who are seeking professional mentoring with experienced linguists who can provide advice and a sounding board for career development.

The Mentoring Scheme is open to all ALS members regardless of career stage or current employment status. It is our hope to provide our members with a platform where members can work collaboratively beyond traditional academic relationships, and to foster community between linguists and language workers throughout Australia and the Pacific.

The scope of mentoring could include research project goals and designs, development as a tertiary teacher, applications for funding, building a career while precariously employed, shifts from academia to industry or industry to academia, how to work in certain types of communities, and many other topics. We expect each partnership will be unique to its mentor/mentee pairing with their own goals and run for at least 12 months.

At the end of 12 months, participants will fill in an evaluation form so that ALS can monitor the effectiveness of the mentoring scheme. The mentoring partnership can however continue past 12 months if both parties agree.

For Mentees: Once you have filled in the registration form, we will connect you with a prospective mentor who has agreed to mentor you. Once you have been given the contact details for your mentor, it is up to the mentee to initiate contact. We expect that you will meet in person or virtually to discuss the goals of the mentoring relationships, and to agree on a schedule that includes meeting times during the next 12 months.

For Mentors: Once you have filled in the registration form, we will keep your details on an ongoing list of mentors unless you request that your name be removed. ALS will notify you of prospective mentees who have been matched with you and ask if you are willing to be contacted by the mentee to arrange a meeting. We expect the mentee to initiate contact after this.