The Greek life-long learning centers in the post-debt crisis era: evaluation of the effectiveness of mentoring in adult trainers training

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore the views of Greek Life-Long Learning Centers (LLLCs) trainers, who worked as educational managers and took on informal mentoring roles in the context of counseling guidance and their trainees (who are adults’ trainers), on the effectiveness of mentoring in the post-Greek Debt Crisis era. Design/methodology/approach The authors performed a quantitative analysis using the SPSS software package’s simple random sampling. The bibliographic review, the identification and specialization of the research objectives, as well as the study of the participants’ unique characteristics, were used in the construction of a research tool. Findings The majority of participants confirmed the importance of mentoring as a human resource strategy. Regarding its effectiveness in the field of the Greek LLLCs, there were several discrepancies in the perceptions of trainers and trainees, as well as specific malfunctions in its implementation. Research limitations/implications The research omitted certain qualitative features and was conducted in a relatively limited geographical context. Originality/value Given the lack of similar studies in the field of the Greek LLLCs, this study illustrates the reality of the mentoring function in the training field of adult trainers, after the onset of the Greek economic crisis, while also highlighting realistic ways to improve the effectiveness of these organizations and conduct future, larger-scale research.

Mapping mentee outcomes in mentoring programs for managers

“…Mentoring is, therefore, an instrument of personal and professional development, which has been studied in the field of management since the early 1980s (Hunt and Michael, 1983; Kram, 1983). It is especially valued by Human Resource (HR) managers as it provides personalized instruction and is also effective at adapting and modifying managerial behavior (Albizu et al , 2019; Dukakis et al , 2022; Rekalde et al , 2015) and identifying and disseminating organizational knowledge (Turner et al , 2018). Based on the increase in the use and study of mentoring, it can be deduced that the mentees who participate in this developmental experience obtain outcomes that are valuable to them and their organizations.…”