Recently at a club assembly, President Charmaine posed the question.... did we as a club need a system of mentoring not only new members, but older and longer serving members as well?
The word "mentor" originated in the mid 18th century from the name of the adviser of young Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey and is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English as... "an experience and trusted adviser".
Recently at a club assembly, President Charmaine posed the question.... did we as a club need a system of mentoring not only new members, but older and longer serving members as well?
The word "mentor" originated in the mid 18th century from the name of the adviser of young Telemachus in Homer's Odyssey and is defined in the Oxford Dictionary of English as... "an experience and trusted adviser".
Following much discussion from the floor, it was pointed out that mentoring is carried out in one form or another virtually when two or more people gather together, whenever questions are asked or advice is sought on any subject. On the question of advice, it is my experience that when advice is sought (particularly by ones children), it is usually only heeded when the advice given is exactly what the enquirer wants to hear... but that is entirely another matter.
However, when relating to our club, I do not personally see the need to form a committee in order for more experienced members to mentor those new to Rotary. It should be obvious, in my view that when a new member is inducted, by far the best way to ensure that he or she quickly becomes a valued member of the organisation is to not only make them instantly welcome but to ensure any knowledge of Rotary in general and our own club in particular is imparted at every opportunity.
It can be fairly daunting for an outsider to join a group of friends, particularly one as large as ours, so making the transition friendly and seamless will ensure we have another productive member in our midst and hopefully for a long time.
Therefore, as Club Service Director, I ask that everyone make newcomers welcome and ensure they meet all members over their first three or four meetings and discuss your own experiences in Rotary as mentors in your own right. It will follow as well that new members, discussing their own lives, work and experiences will at the same time be fulfilling the position of "mentor" themselves with information they impart as well.