The Mentor Program provides ACLP members with a structured, six-month program designed to support the career development and growth of child life specialists. The program welcomes both mentors and mentees, and applicants are matched based on interests and experiences, creating the optimal foundation for joint learning.
Mentees are child life specialists who would like support in reaching their professional goals, while mentors use their experience, knowledge, and leadership skills to provide this support. All prospective participants fill out an application (including resume and letter of support or reference), and the mentor program sub-committee matches the mentor/mentee pairs.
The ACLP Mentor Program is guided by two main ideas:
1. Everyone has something to teach, and everyone has something to learn.
Child life specialists at all stages of their career can benefit from being mentored, and child life specialists with different amounts & types of experiences have the ability to mentor effectively. The ideal mentor/mentee relationship is reciprocal, with both individuals learning through the partnership.
2. Every child life specialist is a leader.
Whether working in a clinical, academic, or formal leadership role, every child life specialist has opportunities to impact positive change. By developing their leadership skills, child life specialists both enhance their efficacy in their current roles and prepare themselves for future career prospects. Therefore, the ACLP mentor program includes webinar content with a leadership development focus.
The ACLP Mentor Program will run from January through June, 2019. Mentees will work with their mentors to set goals at the beginning of the program, and mentors & mentees will communicate on a regular basis throughout the six months. All participants will also attend monthly webinars about leadership development topics, with a focus on leadership development of child life professionals in all areas of practice.
Certified Child Life Specialists working in all areas (including clinical environments, academic settings, or in formal leadership roles) are welcome to participate in the ACLP Mentor Program. Mentees can earn up to 4 PDUs for participating in the program; mentors can earn up to 6 PDUs for participating.
The application process for the 2019 Mentorship Program is now closed. Current applicants should expect to hear from the committee no later than December 31, 2018. Please reach out to mentorship@childlife.org with any questions.