The one-to-one mentoring approach to the professional development of selected permanent staff is not limited to projects with international consultants, but can be used to good effect internally by an EMB. Formal mentoring typically involves clearly establishing the conditions and goals of the mentoring programme at the outset. Informal mentoring, which ought to be part of any supervisor/subordinate relationship, can be less structured. Mentoring programmes can also help an EMB achieve some of its equity goals—for example, increasing the number of women or other targeted social or ethnic groups holding more senior management or technical positions. In addition to internal mentoring programmes, it may be possible to arrange short-term secondments of EMB staff to work with a mentor in another public sector agency or private sector organization.
