Mentor network

The implementation of most social innovation ideas fails due to the lack of appropriate mentoring and professional support. The purpose of the mentor network of the National Laboratory for Social Innovation is to connect and support social innovators and potential social innovation project-host organizations. The mentor network is responsible for mentoring activities and for transferring knowledge which is necessary to the mentored participants to fulfil the social innovation approach and related requirements. 

Why join us as a mentor?

• Opportunity to participate in a national pioneering initiative for social innovation;
• Opportunity to gain professional experience, learn and build relationships within the mentor network;
• Involvement in developing social innovation ideas and solving social problems;
• Pro bono mentoring opportunity.

 Tasks of the mentors

• Mentoring of experimental developments: professional, communication, market research, partnership building and personal assistance, continuous encouragement, giving feedback to the project owner in the social innovation process;
• Contributing to the planning of the development process (e.g. commenting on the project roadmap);
• Continuous monitoring, joint evaluation with the project owner about the completed work related to the milestones;
• Answering professional questions and deadlocks during face-to face and online meetings, or in writing;
• Sharing his/her network of contacts with the mentored participants (in the form of recommendations, introductions);
• Presentation of best practises, proven business models, methodologies;
• In case of existing competences, performing special expert tasks or proposing the involvement of an expert;
• Initiating the necessary project modifications;
• Participation in network meetings;
• Involvement in the communication of the results of TINLAB.

The mentor network currently consists of 17 mentors from the fields of engineering, social sciences, and economics, and recruitment is ongoing. Applying for membership of the mentor network applicants fill out a form and, after providing the evidence of appropriate professional experience, participate in an online interview, and then the decision on his/her joining is taken.

The mentors meet at least once a month in network meetings to share experiences with each other, exchange best practices, help solving problems and difficulties revealed during mentoring process, and also participate in generating of experimental developments and providing information on ongoing developments.

If you have relevant mentoring and consulting skills and experience and passionately fond of projects aimed at embracing social problems, here is your chance to join us as a mentor!