Public Sector Development & Mentoring Scheme
Professional training & development
What is the Public Sector Development & Mentoring Scheme?
The Public Sector Development and Mentoring Scheme (PSDMS) is a positive action initiative led by the FDA in partnership with civil service employers (including the civil service Fast Stream and departmental diversity networks) and partner universities working to support a more diverse senior workplace in the civil service.
The scheme runs all year round and is refreshed with the university academic year, running to the end of the application processes for schemes that offer graduate entry such as the civil service Fast Stream and others including the Tax Specialist Programme (TSP) in HMRC.
Members of the FDA who are currently on schemes such as Fast Stream act as mentors to students and serving civil servants from diverse backgrounds, to encourage them to apply for Fast Stream and for other civil service schemes opportunities.
How do I get involved?
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, or would like to find out more information, get in touch!
PSDMS aims to:
- Establish mentoring of diverse students and civil servants to encourage them to see entry to/advancement within the civil service as a career path
- Offer skills sessions focussed on civil service application processes
- Provide bespoke sessions based on the application process for the Fast Stream and other schemes (including the Tax Specialist Programme)
What do we offer to mentors?
- Training to become effective mentors
- Courses to support mentors with appraisal processes such as the Development Trajectory and end of scheme assessments in Fast Stream
- Being a mentor counts towards Fast Streamers’ corporate objectives
- The opportunity to support skills training and familiarisation events for mentees
What do we offer to mentees?
- A match with a mentor – offering light touch remote mentoring at an agreed level (as a benchmark 4 X 1 hour over 6 months might be reasonable but there is no fixed approach)
- Early access to skills sessions focussed on a generic approach to the civil service application processes.
- Later access to bespoke sessions based on the application process for civil service development schemes
Latest news
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Integrated Public Sector Pay and Workforce Policy ‘quietly hard-wires job losses into pay’ creating ‘permanent squeeze’ on staff, says FDA
FDA National Officer for Scotland Allan Sampson has responded to the Integrated Public Sector Pay and Workforce Policy, announced in the 2026 Scottish Budget.
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Penman challenges senior political figures on civil service reform at Institute for Government conference
During the Institute for Government’s annual conference, FDA General Secretary Dave Penman questioned speakers Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones MP, Secretary for Health and Social Care Wes Streeting MP, and Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride MP on key issues relating to civil service reform.
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FDA calls for rapid improvement following “unacceptable” pension administrator performance
Following the transfer of administration of the civil service pension scheme from MyCSP to Capita at the end of last year, the FDA continue to hear from hundreds of current and retired members who are continuing to be impacted by service levels.