It’s easier than ever to find platforms and services offering mentoring. But how to select the one that best suits your needs? How do different service providers set up their programs? We’ve listed some of the programs we were able to find, focusing on Finland. After reading this article, we hope to get you one step closer to understanding what mentoring service would be the best match for your unique needs.
How is mentorship offered (short summary)?
Mentoring is often provided in program format and it can last from three months up to a year. Many programs are either free of charge, or require membership to be able to participate or apply. Application process is more or less a standard and program groups are quite small, but there are exceptions as well. Most programs still rely on in-person meetings, but online-only programs already exist.
Mentoring for what?
Whenever looking to purchase any services, you should think about your needs and goals. Try to understand the nature of the mentor, or mentorship journey you’re looking for. Here are some of the typical goals when embarking on a mentorship journey:
- Improve your self-confidence
- Get an outsider’s point of view on you ongoing challenges
- Become the best you can be
- Find a new direction for your career
- Find “that something” you haven’t found
It is important to notice that coaching and mentoring focus on the individual, “the mentee”, the person who is advised, trained, or counselled by a mentor, and not on the needs of a company. Consulting, Sparring and Advising are generally more used terms in this context.
How do mentoring platforms and services tend to your needs?
We scoured different platforms and services specifically in Finland, so that you could hopefully find the service that is a perfect match. As you can see there is only one program that is available for all and available in Finnish.
1. Suomen Mentorit is a mentorship program tailored for young people under the age of 36 with a degree in higher education. Most of our mentees are aiming to find their first job matching their education. They also hope to widen their professional networks through the mentoring programme. Available in English and Finnish, and in Hybrid format.
How to apply: Not Currently Available. New program is supposed to be announced at the end of 2023.
2. Yrityskummit is a national network of experienced mentors dedicated to helping small businesses through mentorship. They provide structured guidance by creating robust action plans through the Business Mentors Finland association. Yrityskummit has a long 25 year history in running their program.
How to apply: You can fill out an application on the websites and discuss your needs with the local operator before getting paired with a mentor
3.Baabelia connects the finders & seekers in the language services mentoring sphere, a bit more niche market. Baabelia adopts a more hands-on, flexible approach, and anyone with the relevant experience and zeal for mentorship can apply.
How to apply? You can browse their platform, and connect with a mentor directly to discuss your needs.
4. MiB Mothers in business mentoring program that supports mothers in finding employment, navigate career changes, and help their strengths in their professional identity. During each program mentees receive 5-7 virtual meetings with their mentors, and the program is organized twice per year.
How to apply? It’s for members only, and application is twice per year. Mentorship is also available in English.
5. MPS Palvelut is one example of the commercial service providers in the mentoring space. Their indepth Cross-Company mentoring program includes motivational and other analyzes to match you with the perfect mentor. A 9-month mentorship programs cocts 3300€ / mentee, and includes 8-10 meetings with the paired mentor.
How to apply? The program runs only once per year, and the next one is in the spring of 2024.
6. FIKA mentoring program connects immigrants and established professionals in Finland through one-to-one mentoring. Persons needing integration support are paired with mentors and meet three times a month over the course of six months. Anyone with relevant expertise to offer can join as a mentor.
How to apply? Applications for mentee are open twice a year, in January and August. Mentors can apply throughout the year.
7. Nordic Mentoring program is a six month mentorship program offered by the European Youth Parliament to help EYP volunteers find their first job, navigate through the first years of working life, and learn how to set up a business.
How to apply? Mentors need to be EYP alumni, and at least two years of experience to apply. EYP volunteers can apply for the program as mentees and match with compatible mentors.
8. City business units across cities in Finland host mentoring programs in different areas such as integration, personal growth and development, and navigating through working life. You can easily look up active mentoring programs on the city website.
How to apply? Mentors can apply on a voluntary basis, and mentees can send an application. Mentoring spots aren’t always guaranteed, and applications are open for a short period of time.
9. Your Company
Your Company might be running its own program, especially if you are part of a larger corporation. Programs are quite often organized by Human Resource management team, so use Slack, Team or intranet to find the responsible person. If you don’t have a program running in your organization or no access to mentors, you can ask for them to contact Prönö, as we can give your company access to thousands of mentors with less than 33€/month.
10. Prönö
As you can see, Prönö is not the only platform where you can find a mentor, but there are some unique things that separate us from the others, and might make us well-suited for your needs:
This is how Prönö Mentor program works:
- Participants can sign up for the program 24/7, throughout the year with a simple monthly fee.
- You choose your mentors instead of us assigning you one
- You can work with multiple mentors and have an unlimited number of meetings (pending availability)
- Mentoring Sessions are held completely online, which means you can access also mentors from around the world
- You can get started risk-free and get your money back within 7 days if don’t find any suitable mentors for your needs
- You can get purchase access for 3 months for only 149€ with no long-term commitment
How to Apply?
Unlike some of the listed programs, Prönö is available for all professionals regardless of race, gender, location or situation. Our mission is to bring knowledge, inspiration, and innovation to every professional in the World, and mentoring is just one of the services on the list. Click here to read more and start your mentoring journey.
