South Africa’s National School of Government is asking for mentors

The National School of Government (NSG) has asked public servants to enlist as trainers and mentors to offer education, training and development interventions in their areas of expertise.

The NSG said its mandate has been expanded to provide education, training and development in the three spheres of government, state entities and other state bodies.

To meet the demands of this expanded mandate, and recognizing the experience that resides among experienced officials throughout the public sector, the NSG seeks to harness and deploy this experience as part of measures designed to build an ethical and capable state, it said:

To this end, the Minister of Administration and Public Service, Senzo Mchunu, has written to the departments requesting that they release qualified officials to perform these tasks.

“Public servants in all three spheres of government will greatly benefit from training provided by knowledgeable, experienced and ethical public servants,” Mchunu said.

The NSG has asked interested serving officers to indicate their willingness to assist with training and mentoring services in their areas of expertise through face-to-face and virtual sessions, webinars, training workshops and leadership platforms from thinking, as well as through mentoring and coaching. of other public servants.

Interested officials will be selected and rigorously evaluated to ensure they have the necessary subject matter expertise and relevant public sector experience, the NSG said.

The NSG will offer training opportunities in “the art of facilitation” to selected officials before they can be assigned as trainers or mentors.

The NSG said the following factors will guide the release of staff as trainers once their preparation is complete:

• The staff member will conduct training on behalf of the NSG for a maximum of eight days per financial year, and preparation for such sessions will require up to eight additional days per financial year;

• The staff member will not receive additional remuneration beyond his current conditions of service;

• The NSG will schedule the training in collaboration with the staff member to limit the impact of the staff member’s absence on the performance of their main responsibilities and will confirm the duration and location of the sessions in writing, with the express consent of their supervisors;

• The NSG will reimburse the releasing department or organization for the staff member’s travel, accommodation and living expenses in accordance with its governing policies and procedures.

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