Ethnic minority groups are currently underrepresented on our programmes and within the profession of Clinical Psychology. The Pathfinder – West Midlands Mentoring Scheme is being funded by Health Education England (HEE), as part of a wider bid aimed at addressing ethnic inequity within the profession.
The Clinical Psychology programmes of Birmingham, Coventry & Warwick, and Staffordshire universities formed a partnership to develop a framework for a mentoring scheme that provides information to and supports aspiring clinical psychologists toward a career pathway in the clinical psychology profession. This scheme is called the Pathfinder - West Midlands Mentoring Scheme.
Who is running the scheme?
The Pathfinder - West Midlands Mentoring Scheme is being run in partnership between the Birmingham, Staffordshire, and Coventry/Warwickshire universities clinical psychology courses, in order for our programmes to pool resources and ensure there is some consistency across the West Midlands region. The mentoring scheme is being funded by Higher Education England (HEE), as part of a wider bid aimed at addressing ethnic underrepresentation within the profession.
Background about the problem we are facing:
- In the UK 20,000 people graduate with a degree in psychology each year.
- A significant proportion want to find a career in health and care, but can find it hard to find a way in.
- Entry level posts are often poorly connected to a career path meaning high levels of risk for graduates taking this route.
- Many graduates find that they have no option but to take on unpaid placement experience to gain experience required for higher level qualifications such as the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.
- These uncertainties and volunteer culture have contributed to disproportionate disadvantage for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic psychology graduates, and to graduates who are socio-economically disadvantaged.
Becoming a Mentee
- As a mentee, you will have access to a mentor who will provide Up to 6 hours' worth of mentoring.
- Mentoring sessions are delivered online.
- You can be at any point in your journey towards entering the clinical psychology profession.
- Mentees who join our scheme are not currently nor have they previously accessed a mentoring scheme through Health Education England (HEE).
- Mentees will have a minimum degree classification of 2:1 (If you have a 2:2, you will only be eligible for the Coventry and Warwick University DClinPsy mentoring programme).
- Administrators of the scheme will allocate mentees to mentors.
- Spaces on the mentoring scheme are limited
Who are the Pathfinder West-Midlands Mentoring Scheme mentors?
- Qualified Clinical Psychologist (must be HCPC registered) or Trainee Clinical Psychologist.
- Our mentors have some connection to one of the three West-Midlands courses and are currently working or have worked in the West Midlands region as a Clinical Psychologist, are current or past supervisors on the Birmingham, Coventry & Warwick or Staffordshire DClinPsy course, or are current or former clinical psychology trainees.
- Our mentors provide up to 6 hours of mentoring over a 12-month period.
- We are not expecting our mentors to be clinical supervisors, or to interview or assess mentees. We do anticipate that mentees are looking for individuals who are non-judgemental, who are empathic, and have capacity to be compassionate, honest, and realistic.
- We do not expect mentors to be a therapist, or a clinical psychologist for mentees.
Launch Event
On Monday 28 March 2022 at 17:00-18:30, we are running an online launch event for Aspiring Clinical Psychologists interested in becoming a mentee on our scheme. The event is structured around a presentation about the scheme given by the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) project leads at the University. It will also give you an opportunity to ask any questions that you have through a Q&A session at the end.
Please note that spaces on the mentoring scheme are limited.
Contact Us
The Pathfinder West-Midlands Mentoring Scheme is being jointly run by the Clinical Psychology Doctorate courses at Staffordshire University, The University of Birmingham, and Coventry University /University of Warwick.
Dr Kim Gordon (Staffordshire University)
Email: kim.gordon@staffs.ac.uk
Dr Luke Brown (University of Birmingham)
Email: l.brown.9@bham.ac.uk
Dr Tom Patterson (Coventry University/ University of Warwick)
Email: aa5654@coventry.ac.uk
Thank you and good luck in your journey!
Pathfinder – West Midlands Mentoring Scheme
A collaboration between Staffordshire University, University of Birmingham, and Coventry & Warwick Universities’ Doctorate in Clinical Psychology training programmes.