Strategy development, knowledge management, improved recruitment and retention of employees, integration of new employees, management of stress, leadership development, succession planning, self motivation, breaking down culture and gender stereotypes, managing career and family life, better planning and achievement of learning and improved communication between layers and across the organisation.

Just some of the benefits of mentoring, according to the organisers of the Seventh European Mentoring Conference being held from 23-24th November 2000 at Robinson College, Cambridge. The conference is co-sponsored by the (AMED).

There's always been some confusion about the definitive descriptions of mentoring, coaching and tutoring. The European Mentoring Centre say that it is "off-line help by one person to another in making significant transitions in knowledge, work or thinking".

The Right Honourable Paul Boateng MP, Minister of State at the Home Office is Minister responsible for championing mentoring within the Government and will be at the conference to outline his plans and programmes that use mentoring for developing active communities.

Other speakers at the event will include David Clutterbuck, author of a number of books including Mentoring in Action and Mentoring Executives and Directors together with Co-author David Megginson, Professor of Human Resource Development at Sheffield Business School who will also speak, Anne Watts OBE, Head of Diversity and Employee Support for HSBC Bank and Julie Hay who has provided mentoring and coaching services to the Department of Health, Hertfordshire Constabulary and Warwick Business School.

Here's the marketing blurb for the event:

"The event offers an exciting mix of case studies, research and practical hands-on workshops and brings together practitioners and researchers from across Europe. Organisations involved this year include Barclays Bank, Allianz Insurance, British Airways, The Irish Training and Employment Authority, SmithKline Beecham, Xerox Europe, Ashridge Management College as well as the Tavistock Institute, West Midlands Probation Service and numerous business schools and providers of management development."

For booking information contact Allyson Hatherill on 01923 332374. For a brochure, visit the .