ACA’s mission is committed to promoting and facilitating access to the built environment for all.
One of the objectives is to “…contribute to the continuing professional development of members…” with mentoring playing a pivotal role.
Wikipedia defines mentorship as “a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person helps guide a less experienced or knowledgeable person. The mentor may be older or younger than the person being mentored, but she or he must have a certain area of expertise. It is a learning and development partnership between someone with vast experience and someone who wants to learn…
The person in receipt of mentorship may be referred to as a protégé (male), a protégée (female), an apprentice or, in the 2000s, a mentee.”
Whatever noun you wish to identify with is acceptable to ACA.
Program Objectives
ACA is keen to support growth in the access consultancy profession.
To achieve this objective ACA needs the support of senior consultants with knowledge and experience in the field to impart their wisdom to those keen to learn more and hand over the baton for succession planning.
Whilst ACA encourages more junior access consultants and members of ACA to participate in the Mentoring Program, it is not compulsory. ACA will endeavour to support members keen to learn more and be more active in the industry by trying to match them with a suitable mentor.
The main object of the Mentoring Program is to facilitate more experienced and senior members of ACA to nominate themselves as Mentors/Senior Counsellors.
The object is for the Mentee to:
- Document the time and scope of service they are being mentored in by keeping an Activity Log, signed by the Mentor/Senior Counsellor.
- Gain sufficient knowledge and experience to consider applying for accredited membership of ACA.
- Have the Mentor/Senior Counsellor be willing to propose and support an application by the Mentee to upgrade to an accredited membership?
Code of Conduct
As with any professional relationship, pertinent ACA policies and procedures, e.g. Code of Ethics and Rules of Conduct and other statutory laws must be obeyed at all times.
Mentoring Policy and Guidelines
Any arrangement entered into between the Mentor/Senior Counsellor and Mentee is between both parties.
ACA accepts no responsibility to be an intermediary to define the scope of service, resolve any disputes, etc.
The Mentor may decide to charge a fee for service, pro-bono, ex-gratia, or some other mutually agreeable scope of service.
The ACA Mentoring Program Policy and Mentoring Program Guidelines define the scope and arrangement between both parties.
The Mentoring Program can be as formal or informal as agreed to by both parties. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) points can be claimed under the guidelines Activity D1 = 1 point per two-hour period.
Register for the program
ACA is seeking expressions of interest from members to register themselves as Mentors/Senior Counsellors as a Mentee or both (experienced mentors may still want to learn new skills for experts in other fields).
To Register as a Mentor or Mentee
- Login to the ACA website
- Go to edit your profile
- Update your profile and business profile with the latest information
- Choose the ACA Mentor Program tab or ACA Mentee Program tab (or both) and indicate your wish to join one or both programs
- Accept the terms and conditions for either or both programs
- Fill out your areas of service for one or both programs
Finding a Mentor/Mentee
ACA will upon request try to match Mentors/Senior Counsellors with members seeking mentoring matching the scope of service identified at registration.
ACA encourages those seeking mentoring to take an active role themselves to try an identify a suitable mentor.
This can be done by using the ACA Mentor Directory or the on this site or by attending State Access Consultant Network Meetings, ACA conferences and other associated events.