"Mentor-In" is a work process proposed for social ventures just setting out, and for existing projects whose development has come to a halt. The accompaniment and mentoring from the inside is a process that turns Mentor-In into an integral part of the project for a defined period of time or an agreed-upon developmental phase. The process was developed through a combination of education in social organizing, work experience, for sure, and creativity.

Unlike the familiar mentoring or organizational consulting in which the accompanying party remains external to the project and meets the project leaders but does not necessarily take an active part in the programming, meetings and in-depth processes, the Mentor-In becomes a full member of the process, associated with all the people within the group. The method enables profound and extensive familiarity with the project and substantial support and accompaniment for the people involved.

Although it would appear that social projects in Israel are growing and the number of socially oriented non-profit organizations is on the rise, it is anything but easy to be an entrepreneur or an enterprising group, particularly not during the long and arduous incubation period that every social project undergoes. For every smile and achievement, the entrepreneur also experiences rejection, disappointments and many questions and doubts about the correctness of the chosen path and the ability to stay on it. Most of us were not born with innate knowledge on how to establish a voluntary organizational structure, create a community with common interests, set up and operate teams of volunteers, refine and implement ideas and/or activities and negotiate with the establishment, do fundraising or manage budgets and resources.    
 












Anyone who has been involved in a social venture is familiar with the stage in which a specific subject or the entire project is deadlocked or when different groups within the organization, each with its own motive, block any possibility of achieving the organization's goals. Here, too, in an active organization it's important to integrate the Mentor-In model so as to light up the dark corners, bridge communication gaps between the involved parties, overcome fears and apprehensions and dare to climb up the stairs of organizational development and expansion and to realize its vision.  

The combination of my past business experience (establishing, managing and selling Arts & Crafts stores: Totem on Sheinkin St., Tel Aviv and Katom in Alon Hagalil), graduate studies in Arts Administration at Boston University (BU) in the USA (parallel to Cultural Institution Management studies in Israel), working as a programming and volunteer-work team coordinator at the Nigun Halev Congregation, and various other projects I have initiated and established - all led me to develop the Mentor-In model.  

What else does Mentor-In offer?
Please have a look at "What about your project?"