BME Mentoring Service Contract

Oxleas runs a mentoring scheme for approximately 20 BME staff per year. The scheme is funded in the context of the trust's positive action in equality, aiming to increase the numbers of BME staff at senior levels of the organisation and realise the potential of our BME staff.

The scheme also supports the trust's metrics outlined in the Workforce Race Equality Standard (WRES). Mentoring is offered to BME staff at all banding levels, recognising that development for BME staff in lower and middle bandings is required in order to achieve diversity at senior levels.

The mentoring scheme focuses on career development and realising aspiration, working individually with mentees to support greater effectiveness in their role, set objectives and increase the ability of the mentee to realise and develop the next steps in their career trajectory. We may also sometimes ask that a brief period of mentoring is provided to staff in particularly challenging situations, in order to develop skills in managing difficult or challenging teams or environments.

The scheme is advertised across trust services, and mentees will be required to fill in a form outlining their goals to be achieved through the mentoring relationship and what they would like to specifically gain from the mentoring. Selection will be agreed between the Trust's Head of Equality and Human Rights and the mentoring supplier.

The mentoring will also aim to support the mentee in maximising opportunities presented by existing employee support structures, such as appraisal (Personal Development Review; PDR) and supervision (regular 1:1 meetings with the line manager, which should have a developmental focus). It may also signpost other support arrangements, including the trust's Employee Assistance Programme.

For the avoidance of doubt, the trust seeks a supplier able to deliver the scheme requirements in their totality, including provision of a suitably qualified and experienced mentor(s). Whilst some informal mentoring arrangements exist within the organisation, the purpose of the scheme is to build guaranteed capacity to deliver the specified volume of developmental input.

It is worth noting that at a later date the trust may wish to extend the mentoring to other protected groups outlined in the Equality Act, such as disabled staff and LGBT staff. We would therefore ideally like the successful provider to be able to provide mentoring to staff across a wider range of protected characteristics.