Case study

How APM supports the professional development of community members with Hivebrite

The Association for Project Management (APM) partnered with Hivebrite to create a mentoring program that 90% of participants would recommend.

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“I am delighted that we can offer our community the added value of a mentoring program to drive our mission and give members another reason to come back!

The mentoring module is easy and fun to use from an admin and user perspective–single sign-in is especially convenient!”

Sarah Slater
Volunteering Manager at APM

139

Number of active mentoring pairs signed up in less than 10 months

229

Number of mentors enrolled in the mentoring program

90%

Percentage of participants recommending the mentoring program

About

The Association for Project Management (APM) is the only chartered body for the project profession. As an educational charity, it’s focused on developing and promoting the value of project management to improve project outcomes for the benefit of society.

Mission

APM’s vision is a world in which all projects succeed. Its vision encapsulates all that it wants to achieve as the only chartered membership organization for the project profession. Its mission is to advance the science, theory and practice of project and programme management for the public benefit. Its mission expresses how it will achieve its vision.

Visit the community

The Association for Project Management team is using Hivebrite for all of their regional networks

APM has been using Hivebrite since 2019. The team chose Hivebrite as the go-to community solution for their regional networks and interest network groups. APM offers managed spaces for collaboration and sharing. Groups can easily share ideas, discuss concepts and documentation safe in the knowledge that it is made available for members alone.

The community challenge

Business environments have grown increasingly global, digitally driven, and marked by heightened uncertainty. These changes have introduced a range of new challenges for organizations, requiring greater agility, cross-cultural collaboration, and the ability to navigate constant technological disruption. As a result, project management has become more demanding than ever before. Project Managers are now expected to lead diverse teams across time zones, adapt rapidly to shifting priorities, and deliver results in environments where variables can change overnight.

In response to this growing complexity, the Association for Project Management (APM) is committed to equipping professionals with the tools and recognition they need to succeed. APM works to elevate the profile of project management as a vital discipline, promoting a deeper public and organizational understanding of the role. It establishes rigorous professional standards, develops best practices, and advocates for excellence at every level. By championing high standards and fostering a community of skilled practitioners, APM ensures that Project Managers are prepared to meet today’s challenges—and tomorrow’s—with confidence and clarity.

Hivebrite’s full-stack community platform enabled APM to:

Facilitate organic connections

Foster independent sub-communities to enable connections while maintaining institutional governance

Create a repository of knowledge

Build a centralized knowledge hub that leverages member expertise

Nurture career development

Support member career advancement through mentoring programs, job opportunities and networking tools

Encourage collaboration and innovation

Facilitate partnerships and networks to drive industry advancement and promote innovation

Promote advocacy efforts

Empower members to amplify their impact, collaborate, advocate, and drive engagement

Gather data and insights

Monitor user behavior, engagement metrics, and content performance to measure the impact of initiatives

The Hivebrite solution

APM’s community is an online member benefit space powered by Hivebrite for networking, knowledge sharing, and accessing exclusive content relating to the project management profession.

In January 2022, the APM Community launched the APM Mentoring Programme to further support the professional development of its members.

The mentoring program was created from scratch using Hivebrite’s Mentoring Module. By applying to be a mentor or mentee in the programme, members have the opportunity to exchange knowledge and experiences, learn new skills, and provide guidance to help others achieve their ambitions.

Using Hivebrite’s Mentoring Model, participants can:

  • Create a mentor or mentee profile and define their objectives for the program

  • Establish professional relationships of their choosing in a secure online space

  • Engage with professionals of all experience levels and occupations

  • Discuss and share knowledge across a wide range of specialist subjects

  • Explore reverse mentoring opportunities to exchange skills and close generational gaps

Key features designed for associations

Groups and sub-communities

Manage chapters, committees, and interest groups while empowering leaders to run spaces independently.

News, content, and resources

Share timely updates and news to keep members engaged and informed about your community. 

Memberships

Boost revenue and retention by offering customized membership tiers that deliver the right benefits to the right members at the right time.

Role-based access control

Maintain security and structure by precisely controlling who can access, edit, and manage different areas of your platform.

Email & campaign builder

Reach association members with personalized emails and campaigns—no technical skills needed.

Events and ticketing

Host virtual and IRL events with RSVP, paid ticketing, and QR codes. Enhance experiences and encourage participation.

Member directory and profiles

Empower your association community to discover, connect, and collaborate with fellow members.

The outcome

In less than ten months, 231 mentees and 229 mentors have been enrolled in the program. To date, 139 active mentoring pairs have been created.

When surveyed, 90% of program participants stated they would recommend the mentoring program to other members. Of this 90%, 40% stated they would be likely to recommend it and 50% stated they would be very likely to recommend it.

“The online platform allows mentees to browse mentor profiles, choosing a match 
 that feels right for them. Becoming an APM mentor has allowed me to give back to the profession, gain insight on different industry sectors all whilst having my own 
 skills and assumptions challenged.”

Shamala Govindasamy ChPP
APM Mentor