Launching Proforest’s guide to mentoring sustainability practitioners

Mentoring Sustainability Practitioners: A Proforest guide was launched today in Accra, Ghana, at the Africa Practitioners Network (APN) annual partners meeting.

The guide documents an approach to mentoring developed by the APN as part of its work to build capacity among governments, companies and NGOs to implement and monitor the sustainability measures needed to transition to responsible production. A key lesson from this experience has been the crucial need to go beyond classroom-based training courses to provide the practical experience needed for real proficiency.

The core of the APN approach is building competence and practical experience by providing opportunities for trainees to undertake technical work with experienced experts – or mentors – who can provide guidance and feedback to build their skills. The APN focuses on building the capacity of individual practitioners and implementing organisations as well as the next generation of mentors and trainers.

Joseph Osei of the Resource Trust Network, Ghana, one of APN's key partners said: 
‘In Africa, we have been consumers of sustainability initiatives, such as HCV, but now, because of the experience we have gained in the field through APN, we are going to be innovators.’ 

The new guide documents Proforest’s approach to mentoring sustainability practitioners, elaborates the key elements of the mentoring programme, and references relevant supporting tools and guidance documents, which can all be downloaded here.

We continue to develop our mentoring approach and would welcome feedback from users of this guide. Please email us at: info@proforest.net.

Download Mentoring Sustainability Practitioners: A Proforest guide