Mental Wellness: National Mentoring Month
January 9, 2024
National Mentoring Month was established in 2002 by Mentor, a top-performing charity in the United States dedicated to increasing the quality and quantity of mentoring relationships. This month we are recognizing the connection between mentorship and mental health. We know that mentoring plays an enormous role in career development but it goes beyond work skills. At Vetcor, we recognize the significance of having a mentor relationship and its influence on maintaining positive mental health.
A published study on mentoring by members of the University of Oxford found that “mentoring relationships provide a unique context for mentors to discuss and normalize their [mentees] concerns, to share ideas for managing anxieties, and to find more meaning in their work.” They concluded that both the mentor and mentee can gain these mental health benefits through the relationship.
Mentoring can:
- Normalize concerns: Mentors provide support that comes from experience. Their experiences let the mentee know they aren’t the only one with those thoughts and concerns.
- Manage anxieties: Mentoring is known to reduce anxiety about one's abilities. Feelings and worries about your ability to do something are minimized when they are shared by a mentor who is there to support and encourage you.
- Help find meaning in your work: A mentor has the ability to empower their mentee to see past the day-to-day by helping them understand how they can reach their goals and that they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
At Vetcor, we encourage our hospitals to make space for mentoring and provide resources and support for those who are interested. If you are already part of Team Vetcor, be sure to reach out to the collaboration circle that best fits your current role for more information on mentorship: VetLife, TechLife, or HMLife.
