Call for support for the ICA NEW PROFESSIONALS PROGRAMME

We encourage your institution (membership number: C921) to support our New Professionals Programme, which helps support newcomers to the records and archives profession by providing a New Professionals group with support, advice, and guidance as they establish their professional careers.

The New Professionals Programme is aimed at supporting ICA members with less than 5 years’ experience in the archives and/or records management profession. Individuals are invited to apply for funding and, if successful, they become ‘Active New Professionals.’ A total of six applicants are funded to attend the ICA’s Conference or Quadrennial Congress and are given additional support and guidance throughout the period in which they are considered ‘active.’

The Active New Professionals are expected to carry out a range of duties during their ‘active’ year, including: attend and participate  actively in the ICA’s Conference or Quadrennial Congress; communicate on social media during the  event; and, after  it is over, write an article about the Conference/Congress or a related topic for publication on the ICA website, Flash or other appropriate publication. They also work on a significant project, such as a webinar, research initiative, or publication, with their fellow Active New Professionals.

In the 2021-2022 cycle, we hope to pair our new cohort of Active New Professionals with Mentors in November 2021. The mentorship pairing will continue through the Rome Conference in September 2022  and officially end shortly after that, in October-November 2022.

We are Seeking Mentors

As part of the New Professionals Programme, the ICA pairs the six Active New Professionals with six Mentors. The Mentor provides ongoing professional support for the New Professional, sharing information and providing advice on professional and career issues. Mentors are paired with New Professionals (mentees) as soon as possible after the new intake of New Professionals is confirmed.

Both mid-career and more experienced professionals are encouraged to participate. A Mentor does not need to be a senior professional; mid-career professionals are strongly encouraged to consider becoming Mentors, as they can offer valuable insights for Active New Professionals particularly around issues of career progression, continuing education, and professional development.

Mentors commit to providing about 4-8 hours a month to liaise with and support a New Professional over the year in which the New Professional is considered ‘active,’ providing support and advice. Mentors may also review draft articles or reports written by the Active New Professional for publication.

Mentors must be either individual members of the ICA (Category D) or people who work for Category A or Category C members of the ICA in good standing.

How Can Your Institution Support the New Professionals Programme?

We encourage all Category C institutional members to support the ICA’s New Professionals Programme by:
•    identifying potential New Professionals associated with your organization and encouraging them to apply: see the application information at https://www.ica.org/en/new-professionals 
•    identifying potential Mentors associated with your organization and encouraging them to apply: for more information on applying as a Buddy or Mentor, see https://www.ica.org/en/about-the-mentorship-programme

 
Want to know more?

For more details on the New Professionals Programme and the role of Mentors, see the New Professionals Programme Overview, available online at https://www.ica.org/en/about-the-new-professionals-programme.

For questions about the New Professionals Programme in general, please contact newprofessionals@ica.org. For questions specifically about the work of Mentors and Conference Buddies, please contact the Coordinator for the Mentorship Programme at Mentors@ica.org.

We believe that the ICA’s Mentorship programme is a great benefit to our Active New Professionals. We also believe that Mentors benefit from engagement with the next generation: sharing their experiences and learning about new or different approaches to records and archives management around the world.

We are grateful to all those who have served as Mentors in the past and we also appreciate the support of their institutions; everyone has given generously of their time and energy. We hope you will consider joining us in this exciting initiative.

Your support and participation are welcome and encouraged!