BCMC Mentorship Program
The BCMC runs a twice annual mentorship program for members who are interested in pairing with an experienced mentor to hone their skills in the mountains.
The primary objective of the Mentorship Program is to provide BCMC members access and opportunity to learn and practice skills in a safe and trusting environment. The program will also help Mentors and Mentees enhance competencies and confidence in the chosen mountain sport.
Mentorship is not a replacement for formal guiding or training, and Mentors are not certified mountain guides. Mentees are encouraged to augment their skills development with formal training independently or through BCMC training events.
Winter vs. Summer Mentorship
The mentorship program has two intakes: summer and winter. Each season offers a different set of disciplines and skills to learn. Summer programs are typically focused on scrambling, rock climbing, hiking and summer-time backcountry skills. Meanwhile, winter mentorship focuses on skiing, snowshoeing, ice climbing and safety in winter terrain. Mentors and mentees are free to participate in one or both programs each year.
Expectations from a Mentor
- BCMC Membership and Waiver Status as Current
- Commit to at least one mentorship trip per month or four trips during the season.
- Based on feedback from the previous Mentorship Program, we ask Mentors to post trips on the BCMC website with tentative dates for the entire season before the official season start. Planning trips in advance will help Mentees sign up for the trips and avoid scheduling conflicts.
- Attend Mentee-Mentor Meetup for potential Mentors and Mentees.
- Has appropriate and adequate technical skills and experience in the chosen mountain sport
- Creates a safe and trusting learning environment for Mentees
- Respect the Mentee’s preferences shared as part of the application process
- Is willing to share expertise and also learn from the mentorship experience
- Open to receiving and providing honest and constructive feedback
- Own the required gear to lead a trip for the chosen mountain sport
- Is responsible for getting to the meetup point for mentorship trips. Mentors can carpool with Mentors/Mentees to share the travel cost. BCMC will not reimburse Mentors or Mentees for the transportation cost.
- Meets the secondary set of criteria specific to each mountain sport, e.g. Basic Mountaineering Course for Mountaineering
Expectations from a Mentee
- BCMC Membership and Waiver Status as Current
- Commit to at least one mentorship trip per month or four trips during the season. BCMC will ask Mentors to post trips with tentative dates for the season before the official start team of the season. If you cannot join at least four of these trips during the season, BCMC will reconsider your participation in the program. If you sign up for trips and don’t show up or cancel on short notice without any valid justification, you will not be eligible to apply for future BCMC Mentorship programs.
- Attend Mentee-Mentor Meetup for potential Mentors and Mentees at The Anza Club prior to the season start.
- Respects the Mentor’s preferences shared as part of the application process
- Has identified at least one developmental goal for the season
- Is open to receiving constructive feedback and is willing to learn from the mentorship experience
- Owns or can rent the required gear related to the chosen mountain sport. Please plan for the gear expenses, as they can be significant depending on the mountain sport you choose. If you are not sure about your interest in mountain sports, it might help to rent or borrow gear.
- Is responsible for getting to the meetup point for mentorship trips. Mentees can carpool with Mentor(s)/other Mentees to share the travel cost. BCMC will not reimburse Mentors or Mentees for the transportation cost.
- Meet the secondary set of criteria specific to each mountain sport, e.g. Basic Mountaineering Course for Mountaineering
- BCMC is a volunteer-driven organization. At the completion of the program, Mentees are highly encouraged to give back to the club in any capacity - as a trip organizer, trail maintenance volunteer, Mentor, club volunteer, etc.
Mentor-Mentee Pairing Process
Based on the feedback we received from the previous programs, we will have a two-step pairing process each season.
Step 1: Mentors will select Mentees based on the application
Key criteria:
- Commitment: Is the Mentee committed to the program?
- Goals: What does the Mentee want to achieve from this program?
- Skills and Fitness: What is the Mentee's current skill and fitness level in the chosen mountain sport?
- Preferences: Does the Mentee have specific preferences?
- Volunteer History: BCMC Members who have volunteered with the club in any capacity will be given preference
All potential Mentors and Mentees selected for the meetup will be notified by email before the in-person meet up date at the Anza Club.
Step 2: Mentor-Mentee Meetup in person, at The Anza Club:
The goal is to provide an opportunity for Mentors and Mentees to meet each other and discuss goals, preferences, fitness/skill level, potential dates, etc. We will also have a Q&A session about the program, expectations, required support, etc. Mentors/Mentees will have an opportunity to do some trips together and any changes to the group needs to be finalized before the season starts.
Mentorship Program Fee $50
All selected Mentees need to pay the Mentorship Program Fee of $50 before the first in-person meetup of the season. Mentees who opt to drop out before the program officially starts, will be given a full refund. The fee will be used to fund Mentors incentives, mentorship socials and other expenses to support the program.
Mentor Incentives
Mentors who complete the mentorship program will be eligible for the following incentives at the end of the program:
- BCMC Pro Discount Program for a year
- Up to 50% reimbursement (maximum of $200) on any guided instructional course that you take within a year of completing the mentorship program
Mentorship Program Q&A
You can find answers to all the questions from previous winter/summer programs here - Google Document
We will also host a Mentors only Q&A session on before each season start where Mentors can field questions to the BCMC Mentorship team
Application Forms
Note: The dates below are approximate and subject to change. Once applications open, BCMC members will receive a message with confirmed key dates, including the application deadline, selection timeline, and meetup time at the Anza Club.
Key Dates
Mentor and Mentee Applications must be received by 11:55 pm on April 15th for the summer intake and October 15th for the winter intake.
Summer - April 1 / Winter - October 1 - 07:00 am, Mentor and Mentee applications open.
Summer - April 15 / Winter - October 15 - Mentor and Mentee applications close.
Summer - April 30 / Winter - October 31 - Communication to all Mentees selected for the Mentor-Mentee meetup.
Summer - May 5 / Winter - November 3 - Mentor-Mentee meetup at The Anza Club, in the evening. Mentees must pay the $50 Program Fee before the meetup to confirm their participation in the program.
Summer - May 31 / November 30 - Finalize Mentor-Mentee groups for the season and notify Mentor/Mentees of any changes.