Mentoring is different from consulting, training or coaching.

Consulting refers to the process whereby an expert supplies/transfers the knowledge and/or experience the organization needs on a specific issue.

Coaching entails the development of a skill the organization needs on a certain issue.

Training is about conveying/enabling the learning of a piece of knowledge/skill/opinion as per the agenda and contents specified by an expert/trainer, in line with the organization’s needs.

Mentoring, on the other hand, refers to “learning how to learn”, to strengthen the organization’s capacity on a specific issue and based on the agenda specified by the organization itself.

Civic Space made mentoring, based on its “learning how to learn” approach, into a Program specific to Cyprus, (with a view) to achieve sustainable capacity strengthening of Cypriot civil society, and to enable experience sharing between organizations and activists. Thus, the Mentoring Program, while facilitating self-empowerment of CSOs, will also contribute to systematizing, expanding, and sustaining the mentoring-like solidarity networks that already exist among Cypriot CSOs and activists.

The Civic Space Mentoring Program is designed as a flexible and non-hierarchical process accessible by any CSO / initiative without discrimination, whereby participants deemed equal, learn from each other, rather than through a hierarchical relationship of teacher-learner. While, an organization / initiative that receives mentoring will be learning how, when, and with whom it will be strengthening its capacity, and what to do for that purpose, the process will enhance the mentoring skills, strengthen the practice of the mentor, and allows the experience gained from other organizations to be shared.

Civic Space Mentoring Program is implemented in the form of 6-months long cycles. In each cycle 4 organisations or initiatives will be supported. Indicatively, it is expected that there will be 5 support cycles in which a total maximum of 20 organisations/initiatives will be supported. While some of these cycles will be implemented in the form of open call for applications on specific capacity building topics, the mentoring support in other cycles will be provided based on demand. Initiatives or organizations that request mentoring support from Civic Space can either fill in the Mentoring Request Form on Civic Space website or make a request directly to Civic Space, regardless of any cycle or topic.

For each 6-months long support cycle, a launch event will be held with the selected organisations/initiatives.The Program implementation will be in-depth explained and the needs and expectations of each mentee will be identified and prioritized. After that, the organization/ initiative will be matched with one individual from the pool of mentors who will provide support to the organization / initiative in the selected strategic capacity area. The matching process will try and make sure to match the organization / initiative with a mentor who is experienced in the thematic field of work as well as in the area where the organization / initiative needs to improve its capacity.

The Mentoring Program is completely based on voluntary involvement. The mentors do not get paid for the support they will be provided in this context, whereas the organizations / initiatives involved get the mentoring support on a voluntary basis.

Once matched, the organization / initiative and the mentor begin their meetings and engagement in accordance with the procedure, form, and time frames they decide. The mentoring support is limited to a maximum time frame of 6 months, and involves an average of 8 to 10 hours of mentoring support per month. The mentor and the organization / initiative will jointly decide on how, when, where, and with whom the support will be scheduled.

The mentoring process is based on trust, and unless jointly decided otherwise, the mentors respect and maintain the confidentiality of the information shared with them.

Periodically, Civic Space holds meetings or discussions with the mentors as well as the organizations / initiatives that receive mentoring support, hearing their views about the process, and if/when necessary, provides recommendations for improvement. In case of any problem arising between the mentor and the organization / initiative, Civic Space will take necessary measures to support the development of a solution. 

The mentoring process will be supported both with trainings and workshops to be organized by Civic Space and other CSOs, and with the involvement of other mentors from the mentor pool.

Any registered or unregistered civil society organizations, which meet the following criteria will be eligible for mentoring support:

• Operating as a registered (e.g. associations, foundations, non-profit companies) or unregistered citizen’s initiatives working for public good;
• Having at least 5 active members;
• Committing at least 2 participants for continuous involvement in the mentoring process;
• Presence in Cyprus throughout the mentoring process;
• The decision-making mechanism and/or the whole team of the organization or initiative having the motivation, time, and capacity for capacity strengthening in the chosen issue area.

Civil society activists who meet the following criteria can provide mentoring support:

• Having worked at least 5 years in a CSO or a citizen’s initiative as an in activist, volunteer, board member, staff etc.;
• Being able to volunteer for 8 to 10 hours per month, to provide mentoring support;
• Having the qualifications required to support the strengthening of civil society, in terms of approach and experience;
• Having attended fundamental mentoring training and at least 2 of the follow-up refreshment workshops held by Civic Space.

Mentoring support is offered for the following capacity strengthening areas. Please contact us if you wish to enhance your organization’s capacity in an area which is not listed below.

• Networking / Partnerships
• Dialogue, Conflict Management
• Event Organization
• Fundraising
• Working with Volunteers
• Monitoring and Evaluation
• Financial Management
• External Communication / Outreach
• Organizational Information Management
• Internal Communications and Organizational Management
• Project Design, Drafting and Management
• Risk Analysis and Planning
• Advocacy
• Social Media Management
• Strategic Planning

Civic Space initiated a mentoring program in 2019, training 30 NGO representatives to become mentors. Among them, five were from Cypriot Greek NGOs, five from intercommunal NGOs, and the remaining 20 were from Cypriot Turkish NGOs. A toolbox was shared with the participants as a practical resource on various capacity-building topics.

Two mentoring trainings will be organized for the existing 30 mentors, one in English and the other in Turkish. In addition to refreshing the information provided in the previous training, new skills and methods will be developed. Subsequently, the mentoring program will be implemented in a way that benefits NGOs.