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spotlight on professional support

Tips to those receiving 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: http:// www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/information-for- members/mentoring-program and follow the instructions . For any queries regarding professional support – supervision and mentoring – please don’t hesitate to get in touch: psa@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au . 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 ( psa@speechpathologyaustralia. org.au ) 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

Speak Out August 2014

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www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au