Speak Out
August 2014
9
spotlight on professional support
Professional support
comes in a variety of forms.
Supervision, mentoring and peer support are common
ways that speech pathologists receive professional support.
With the right to receive professional support, however,
comes responsibilities. Every year I have coordinated the
mentoring program, issues come up around professional
conduct, courtesy and respect. The tips below are specifically
for those speech pathologists either seeking or in mentoring
relationships but some are broadly applicable to all forms
of professional support.
1. Contact one mentor at a time.
When searching for
a mentor, only contact one speech pathologist at a time
(excepting if you require mentoring in two very separate and
distinct areas). If you are doing this via email, give the speech
pathologist the option of replying to you by a nominated date if
they are willing to discuss and/or act as your mentor. Wait until
this speech pathologist has replied to you and you have both
discussed and determined whether this will be an appropriate
match before contacting others, or until the date has passed
with no reply. Contacting more than one potential mentor at a
time and seeing who replies first and/or not letting those you
have contacted know when you have already found a mentor
is unprofessional and discourteous.
2. Communicate.
If you no longer feel you require a mentor –
LET YOUR MENTOR KNOW! All too often I hear that
mentees simply never got back to their mentor. Mentoring
is a mutual, two-way relationship and it is fundamental to
the success of the relationship that clear communication
is maintained through the duration of the relationship. It
is courteous and respectful to let your mentor know you
no longer wish to continue the partnership for whatever
reason, so they are clear that the partnership has ended.
Communicate any changes in your situation at your earliest
convenience – even if just to reschedule a meeting.
3. Be professional.
Be prepared for meetings, be reliable,
be polite, and be mindful of the other person’s needs within
the relationship. Be mindful of your responsibilities as a
speech pathologist to your mentor and your profession.
Professional behaviour will be noticed and bring positive
consequences – mentors can become referees and important
links in your professional network.
4. Be grateful.
Senior members of the profession
generously give their time, energy, skills, knowledge and
experience. They do this to contribute to the profession and
maintain high standards in less experienced members of
the profession. Genuine and expressed gratitude can go a
long way to helping senior members of the profession feel
justifiably valued and willing to continue to share their time
and expertise with others.
I’m happy to say that most mentoring partnerships run
smoothly and successfully, as generally people are
considerate and respectful of each other’s needs.
Mentors available
We still have a number of unmatched mentors waiting for
suitable mentees to contact them. If you could benefit from
some additional support and professional contact go to:
For any queries regarding professional support – supervision
and mentoring – please don’t hesitate to get in touch:
.
Call for external supervisors
I am increasingly receiving requests for contacts for speech
pathologists available to provide paid external supervision. If you:
•
Have skills and experience in providing supervision
•
Have an hour a week available to provide supervision
•
Are interested in and willing to provide external
supervision,
please email Meredith Prain (
with your name, contact details, years of clinical
experience, years of supervision experience, areas of clinical
experience, and communication modes available (face-to-
face, phone, Skype).
Meredith Prain
Professional Support Advisor
Tips to those receiving professional support
