Person County Beekeepers Association

Mentoring Program at Person County Beekeepers Association

  Mentoring is one of the most valuable educational tools we have to help a new beekeeper get started and reach a comfortable level of self-sufficiency. We offer this program through the generous donation of time and expertise by some of our most qualified club members.  

  Need a Mentor?

  We want to help any new beekeeper who is part of our club to get the help they need. We have long time beekeepers who are willing to step up  in that role, so let us know you are looking and we are happy to make the introduction.

  Bee a Mentor

  We will pair our 2024 Bee School graduates with a mentor. If you still want or need some assistance, please let us know.

  Getting Started

Once you have found a mentor and exchanged phone numbers, take time to talk about your expectations of each other. Communication is the key to a good working relationship.

  Basic Rules for a Successful Mentoring Relationship

• 1.      Respect each other’s time. Establish parameters of when and how to connect.
• 2.      Respect the opinions of the other, even if you disagree.
• 3.      The mentor is there to guide, not manage the new beekeeper.
• 4.      Explain the why of the question and the why of the answer.
• 5.      Use differences of opinion to explore alternative solutions to a problem.
• 6.      Focus on the details of a conversation on one specific issue at a time.
• 7.      Always provide context for questions and answers.
• 8.      Use photos and videos to help communicate detail.
• 9.      Know when to call for reinforcements.