EXPECTATIONS OF A MENTEE

• Membership - Join Portage County Beekeepers and come to the meetings, field days, and other events. 

• Educate yourself - Don't rely on your mentor to be the sole source of information.  Our website has some great links to educate yourself. 

• Pick the right mentor - Pick someone close to you and someone who has the same philosophy (ex. urban vs rural, views on use of pesticides, etc.) 

• Help your mentor - Beekeeping mentorship is an apprenticeship model. That means you're trading labor for learning. It's not going to be hard labor but it will be an opportunity to learn by doing.  

• Cost - While the cost to you is free, remember that your mentor is an unpaid volunteer. Keep your expectations reasonable.

• Responsiveness - Be respectful of the time your mentor gives you.  Remember they may be helping others too.  Sending pics and emails can sometimes help expedite some help.

• Liability - You cannot hold a mentor, or the club, responsible for any negative issues that may occur.  Keep in mind they are just trying to help you and sometimes bad things occur despite what literature and science says.

EXPECTATIONS FOR MENTORS

• Membership - Be a member in good standing of Portage County Beekeepers and regularly attend meetings, field days and other events.

• Educate yourself - Keep yourself educated on changes in bees, bee diseases and beekeeping through areas like journals and conferences.

•  Pick the right mentee - Accept someone close to you and someone who has the same philosophy (ex. urban vs rural, views on use of pesticides, etc.) 

• Help your mentee - Teach not just what you personally do and believe but what other theories about beekeeping say also. Teach info from our resources list. It's okay to also share your opinions but make clear which are which.

•  Cost - Remember you are helping educate a new beekeeper to be the best apiarist possible to ensure responsible beekeeping.

• Responsiveness - You have an apiary too, but work to provide timely help to your mentee.  Remember, a few days delay can mean a lot for the mentee's hive.

• Liability - You are not liable for any negative issues that may occur due to information and/or actions you provide to a mentee.  The mentee understands that sometimes things are out of your control and accidents happen.