The Beekeepers Club Inc.

Beekeeping Mentoring Programme

This is a workshop/trainee programme on trial.

To learn about the basics of beekeeping, new beekeepers are advised to participate in our Beginners Course.

This could be compared with obtaining a Learners Permit for driving a vehicle on the road - you know in theory how it is done.

The reality test comes later on, with your own beehive in your backyard.

At the beginning it can be quite challenging for a new beekeeper to handle a beehive - not every possible situation can be discussed during the course - what to do?

To assist new beekeepers in this situation, more experienced and confident members of the club offer "Mentoring" to new beekeepers with hands-on assistance/training when necessary.

Likewise, a beekeeper who is not new to beekeeping could be facing a new challenge where assistance of a fellow beekeeper might be helpful.

The Beekeepers Club Mentoring Programme is aimed to assist all fellow club members when help or assistance is requested.

Such a mentoring programme could become quite overwhelming for those offering assistance - most club members have a regular job as well and everyone's time is limited.

To ensure that such a programme is sustainable we need to ensure that those offering help and assistance are not overburdened by requests.

The following guidelines should help that this programme remains sustainable.

1. Only members of the club can participate in this programme.

2. New beekeepers can only participate in this programme after completion of a beekeeping course.

3. Assistance is prearranged and mutually agreed - like a workshop or trainee programme.

4. Unless agreed prior, ad hoc phone calls for immediate assistance are not the idea.