Mentorship is the key to turning your APR goals into reality. At CAPIO, our mentorship program connects you with experienced APR professionals who specialize in public sector communications, offering personalized guidance to help you succeed. Here’s why mentorship makes a difference:

• Proven Success: CAPIO members who work with a mentor are more successful at completing their APR. 

• Tailored Support: CAPIO mentors, with an average of 10+ years in public sector PR, provide insights specific to roles like city PIOs or school district communicators, ensuring your APR preparation aligns with your career.

• Motivation and Accountability: Regular mentor check-ins keep you on track and increase confidence and motivation after their first month .

• Community Connection: Mentorship opens doors to CAPIO’s network of over 25 APR professionals, fostering relationships that support your growth in public sector communications.

With CAPIO’s mentorship, you’re not just preparing for the APR—you’re joining a community of public sector leaders dedicated to your success. Ready to get started?

Request a CAPIO Mentor

CAPIO APR Mentorship: Your Public Sector Guide to APR Success

Ready to earn your Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) and elevate your public sector career? CAPIO’s APR Mentorship Program is designed just for you! We have several APR mentors—seasoned professionals who are excited to help—each with their APR and deep expertise in public sector communications. They understand the unique value the APR brings to the PR profession and public agencies, and they’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Why Choose a CAPIO Mentor?

Your CAPIO APR mentor can help you:

• Evaluate your readiness to apply and assist your with a tailored APR  timeline.
• Review your Panel Presentation with feedback grounded in public sector challenges.
• Share study tips, resources, and insights on how the APR enhances public sector PR.
• Keep you motivated with regular encouragement to achieve your APR.

Our mentors are more than advisors. They’re your public sector champions, dedicated to helping you showcase your expertise and leadership!

Join the CAPIO Mentorship Program

Getting started is simple:

Contact CAPIO’s Education and Development Chair to share your interest.

Get paired with a mentor who understands public sector communications, often in your region or via virtual mentoring.

Begin your personalized mentorship with regular check-ins to stay on track.

Request a CAPIO Mentor

Have Questions?

For personalized advice on earning your APR with CAPIO’s support, Contact our Education and Development Chair. Join over 50 CAPIO members who’ve earned their APR with our public sector-focused mentorship!

Tips for CAPIO APR Mentees

Embarking on your Accreditation in Public Relations (APR) journey with CAPIO’s support is an exciting step toward advancing your public sector communications career! Your CAPIO APR mentor—a seasoned professional with their APR and deep public sector expertise—is here to guide you, share insights, and cheer you on. While mentors provide encouragement and resources, you’re responsible for driving your progress. These tips will help you make the most of your CAPIO mentorship experience.

• Get to Know Your Mentor: Share your bio or resume and request your mentor’s to understand each other’s public sector background. Connect on LinkedIn to build a professional relationship. Schedule an initial call or virtual meeting to discuss your goals and the APR process.
• Understand the APR Process: Familiarize yourself with the APR steps (application, panel presentation, exam) using CAPIO’s resources. Note your current stage (ex: applied, preparing for panel) and prepare questions for your mentor about next steps or CAPIO’s support, like study sessions or coaching clinics.
• Initiate Regular Contact: Reach out to your mentor to start your mentorship, scheduling a phone, virtual or in-person meeting to break the ice. Agree on communication methods (email, phone) and set a biweekly or monthly check-in schedule. Respect your mentor’s time as a volunteer and confirm a date for your next touchpoint.
• Leverage CAPIO Resources: Explore CAPIO’s webinars, study sessions, and APR online study courses and virtual prep sessions. 
• Prepare Questions in Advance: Keep a list of questions about the APR process, panel presentation, or exam, especially how your public sector experience applies. Email these to your mentor before check-ins to maximize discussion time and gain targeted advice.
• Seek Feedback on Your Panel Presentation: Share your Panel Presentation Questionnaire or communication plan with your mentor for review. Ask for feedback on aligning your public sector work with the RPIE model (Research, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation) and strengthening areas like evaluation.
• Address Weaknesses: If you lack experience in areas like program evaluation, ask your mentor for strategies to bolster your public sector examples or access CAPIO’s resources (ex: webinars). They can suggest ways to present your work effectively during the panel.
• Study with CAPIO’s Support: Download the APR Study Guide from www.praccreditation.org and highlight areas you don’t understand. Discuss these with your mentor during check-ins and join CAPIO’s study groups to prepare for the exam with peers.
• Embrace Feedback: Be open to your mentor’s suggestions for improving your application, presentation, or study plan. Their perspective is designed to help you succeed!
• Share Your Success: If CAPIO’s mentorship helps you thrive, share your story! Submit a testimonial to CAPIO’s Education and Development Chair Julie Prater, APR at apr@capio.org to inspire other public sector communicators to pursue their APR. Your testimonial may be used in future CAPIO publications, social meda the website and more!
• Show Gratitude: Thank your mentor for their guidance and support. A quick note or shoutout at a CAPIO event goes a long way to celebrate their volunteer efforts.

Request a CAPIO MentorContact Our Education Chair

Tips for CAPIO APR Mentors

As a CAPIO APR mentor, you play a vital role in guiding public sector communicators toward earning their APR. Your expertise as an APR professional with public sector experience makes you uniquely qualified to support mentees, sharing the value of the APR in advancing PR and public agency communications. Mentees may be juggling busy roles, so your encouragement and insights can make all the difference. These tips will help you mentor effectively, tailored to each mentee’s needs and progress.

• Build a Connection: Share your bio or resume highlighting your public sector experience and request your mentee’s to understand their background. Connect on LinkedIn and schedule an initial phone, virtual or in-person meeting to discuss their goals and the APR process.
• Know the APR Process: Refresh your knowledge of the APR steps (application, panel, exam) at www.capio.org/apr. Be ready to answer questions or clarify the process, especially how it applies to public sector roles like city or school district communications.
• Set Regular Check-Ins: Establish biweekly or monthly check-ins via phone, email, or virtual meetings, agreeing on communication methods (ex: mobile, work email). End each call with a set date for the next touchpoint. If your mentee disengages, proactively reach out to address roadblocks.
• Highlight Public Sector Value: Share how the APR enhances public sector PR (exL building trust, leading strategic campaigns). Walk through the APR process from a public sector lens, using CAPIO’s resources at www.capio.org/apr to address mentee questions.
• Promote CAPIO Resources: Recommend CAPIO’s webinars, study sessions, or APR Online Study Course ($195, 1-year subscription). Share details of upcoming CAPIO events and webinars that may be beneficial to your mentee.
• Review Key Materials: Offer to review your mentee’s Panel Presentation Questionnaire and communication plan, providing feedback grounded in public sector contexts (ex: stakeholder engagement). Share your own plan (with permission) or examples, explaining the RPIE model (Research, Planning, Implementation, Evaluation).
• Address Weak Areas: Help your mentee strengthen weak areas (such as evaluation) by suggesting CAPIO resources and proven strategies. For example, guide them to frame a city or special district campaign’s impact for the panel presentation.
• Support Exam Preparation: Encourage your mentee to study the APR Study Guide from www.praccreditation.org and discuss challenging areas during check-ins. Share scenarios (such as crisis response) to prepare for exam questions.
• Introduce to CAPIO’s Network: Connect your mentee to other CAPIO APR professionals at events like the Annual Conference or via LinkedIn/email introductions. This builds their public sector network and reinforces CAPIO’s supportive community.
• Provide Constructive Feedback: Offer honest, encouraging feedback on your mentee’s application, presentation, or study plan, leveraging your public sector expertise to ensure alignment with APR standards.
• Share Your Experience: Inspire others by sharing your mentoring story. Submit a testimonial to CAPIO’s Education and Development Chair Julie Prater, APR at apr@capio.org to inspire other public sector communicators to pursue their APR. Your testimonial may be used in future CAPIO publications, social meda the website and more!
• Celebrate Progress: Motivate your mentee by celebrating milestones (ex: application submitted, panel passed) and enjoy the rewarding experience of helping a public sector communicator achieve their APR!

Request to Become a CAPIO MentorContact Our Education Chair

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