Call for Establishment of a Mentoring Panel

The Local Enterprise Office, Carlow (LEO Carlow) promotes and supports micro enterprises and people thinking of starting their own business in the region. The main supports are business information services, training, mentoring, business networks and financial supports for qualifying businesses.

The Local Enterprise Office (LEO) provides advice, information and support to those interested in starting up a new business or already in business including entrepreneurs, early stage promoters, start-ups, and small businesses.

The LEO Mentor Programme is designed to match up the knowledge, skills, insights and entrepreneurial capability of experienced business practitioners with small business owner/ managers who need practical and strategic advice and guidance. The mentor contributes independent, informed observation and advice to aid decision making.

Role Purpose

LEO Carlow is compiling a panel of mentors, from which future mentor assignments for a 3-year period will be selected. Applications are invited from mentors with appropriate skills and experience that wish to be included in the LEO Carlow mentor panel.

Minimum selection criteria will apply and not all applicants may be awarded a place on the panel.

The role of the mentor is to share wisdom gained from experience and learning. The mentor’s principal function is to listen and to ask questions.

They help the clients explore their business goals and ideas for the future and to help them realistically appraise their current situation. As business plans develop the role is to challenge and support the execution of the client’s plans and to assist them to keep track of their objectives.

Mentors are not encouraged to solve the problems for the client, rather to help clients develop the capability to solve their own problems. Mentors do not carry out the work on behalf of the client but can be a source of guidance and advice for them. The mentor may offer advice and opinion, but the mentor is not a consultant. Responsibility for decision-making rests solely with the client.

Application Process

Organisations / Suppliers may apply at any time for inclusion on the panel but be registered by 20th January 2017 in order to be considered for the first block of contracts. Applicants must fill out the application for which can be downloaded here.