UC Women's Group Mentoring Program/Beryl's story

Contact details
Name of storyteller: Beryl Pedvin

Name of person recording story: Mark Spain

Location: Mizzuna’s

Date of recording: 15 July 2010

How did you become involved in UC WGMP?
I applied and my participation was approved and fully supported by my supervisor.

1. What changes have you noticed since you have finished the program?

 * 1) Networking was a great outcome for me. We went around to each person’s workplace. By the end of the year not a big impact but in the years following I can think of five or six occasions where I have professionally contacted others
 * 2) My knowledge of the university and campus was greatly increased
 * 3) I’m more known to different groups of people on campus
 * 4) It was great to have excellent speakers like Geraldine Doogue, Wendy McCarthy, Julie Mc Crossin, Marion Halligan

2. What has been the MOST significant change?
My most significant change for me is the networking – in both directions

Beginning (situation before the change)

I didn’t think I was missing anything. I was here already for 10 years. I knew a lot of people. I thought I knew almost everything I needed to know but I didn’t.

Middle (what happened)

I didn’t realize what was happening during the program as I was learning more about other people. It was always interesting “sticky beaking” into other people’s workplace & learning about their work, and also having them come to my workplace.

In the library we have an email service “Ask a Librarian”. All sorts of questions came in. It predated other services so we got questions from all over and outside the campus. I started to get queries including international students, prospective & past students, and people with disabilities and I was able to steer them to the right people.

End (situation after)

Networking has been low key but I still see two to three people from my group in the coffee shop occasionally. Some groups have a meal together regularly.

We wrote a poem together. We had excellent speakers from around the place talking on different things. Six people in my group got promotions during the year after our writing our CVs. We worked on a group project to name the car parks on campus. We learned a lot a lot writing a project plan and managing a project.

3. Why was this change significant for you?
Not hugely important but notable on a few occasions. Uni life is a great deal of collegiality and this experience was reasonably useful.

from Jess Dart	http://www.clearhorizon.com.au