When Markus Dressnandt, Deputy Head of Communications at EuroNatur, whistles as he emerges from the meeting room at the Radolfzell office, he usually had an appointment as part of the mentoring programme. "After the first session, I was already looking forward to the second. The atmosphere at MENC is positive, constructive, empathetic, and understanding," he says. "Much of what contributes to our inner development requires exchange with like-minded people who support, challenge, inspire, or simply understand us. I find all of that at MENC."
Leonie Kraut, Head of Administration and Human Resources at EuroNatur is happy: "We have even more participants than last year for our mentoring program, even though most of it takes place in our free time. This shows how great the demand is and that we're preaching to the choir!" She co-developed MENC and has coordinated it ever since. "In nature conservation, we need nothing more urgently than strong personalities who are at peace with themselves, open-minded, able to inspire others, and not discouraged by setbacks. With the mentoring programme, we want to support participants, above all, in their personal growth," she says.
What is MENC?
MENC (Mentoring for European Nature Conservation) ist ein Mentoring-Programm, das von EuroNatur organisiert und mit Unterstützung der Expertinnen und Experten von The Human Edge durchgeführt wird. Durch individuelle Mentoring-Beziehungen sollen vor allem junge Menschen, die im Naturschutz tätig sind, in ihrer Persönlichkeitsentwicklung unterstützt werden. MENC bietet eine Plattform, um Wissen zu teilen und Netzwerke aufzubauen und trägt dazu bei, den europäischen Naturschutz nachhaltig zu stärken. Im Jahr 2025 ging MENC bereits in die dritte Runde. Mehr unter www.euronatur.org/mentoring.
Markus Dressnandt hesitated briefly before applying to participate in MENC. He recognised the additional time commitment without any quantitatively measurable results at the end. Why did he choose MENC after all? This is precisely why he decided to participate: Developing social and interpersonal skills is now just as important to him as continuing professional development. "The process leads to more orientation and clarity on both sides, both for us mentors and for the mentees. Those who reflect on themselves and receive constructive feedback from their counterparts have the opportunity to learn a lot about themselves," he explains.
The training workshops for the mentors, led by The Human Edge experts, and the initial meeting with the mentees were already challenging, even though they took place online. With in-depth, stimulating questions, the mentors challenged their counterparts to be honest with themselves. "What did I dream of as a child, and what is my dream for the future?" were just two of them. Even after the first few meetings, Leonie Kraut repeatedly received the following feedback: "No matter what comes next, MENC has already helped me so much." She finds forming mentoring pairs of people who are a good fit for each other the greatest challenge each time, but also the greatest joy when it works out again. "Gut feeling plays a crucial role here. How well mentor and mentee truly meshed will become apparent at the end of the journey together, true to the MENC motto: Trust the process!"
For Leonie Kraut, the key is to find out what the participants really need. "In order to speak to people as much as possible, I attended all the trainings myself." What she encountered with striking frequency were worries and problems arising from the challenges of remote working. "A lot has changed since Corona. When meetings are predominantly online, it's more difficult to find your own role in project teams and build connections with colleagues. Self-organisation isn't something that just falls into everyone's lap," she reports. How do I manage to set boundaries and give myself breaks when I'm working from home and the boundaries between private and professional life are blurring? These and similar questions came up again and again.
In a professional context, we often focus on purely technical content. Especially in the nature conservation community, selflessness and full commitment to the cause are highly valued. It's easy to get lost in what we want to achieve externally. But personal development must not be neglected.
Leonie Kraut, Head of Human Resources and Administration at EuroNatur, Coordinator of the MENC Mentoring Programme
Markus Dressnandt finds the community of people who know what it means to be committed to nature conservation particularly unifying. "Many people are familiar with being perceived as 'antis' and having few allies. At MENC, the exact opposite feeling emerges: We are not alone, and we strengthen each other." Markus Dressnandt meets with his mentee once a week in the initial phase, primarily to actively listen to them. Unlike coaching, MENC is not about the mentor providing the mentee with solutions to problems and offering advice, but rather about the mentee taking responsibility for themselves and becoming aware of their own answers through the mentor's skilful questions. "Learning the art of empathetic listening in all its nuances was an eye-opener. This is where I discovered great growth potential for myself as a mentor, too. This listening, without judging or immediately categorising what is said, but rather letting it stand for a moment, opens up new spaces for encounters." Reading between the lines and recognising the underlying needs of others is now helping Markus Dressnandt not only as a mentor at MENC. "I benefit in my role as a manager at EuroNatur, but what I've learned has also long since enriched my personal relationships. This includes being able to give constructive feedback that my counterpart can use to grow – even if it's not flattering at first because it touches on sore spots. Ultimately, these skills also change the way I deal with myself. I'm learning to treat myself with more understanding and to articulate my goals and needs more clearly," says Markus Dressnandt, reflecting on the positive changes that MENC has already initiated in him.
Zwischen den Zeilen zu lesen und die darunter liegenden Bedürfnisse des Gegenübers zu erkennen, hilft Markus Dressnandt mittlerweile nicht nur als Mentor bei MENC. „Ich profitiere in meiner Rolle als Führungskraft bei EuroNatur, aber das Erlernte bereichert längst auch meine privaten Beziehungen. Dazu gehört es, konstruktives Feedback geben zu können, das mein Gegenüber nutzen kann, um zu wachsen – auch, wenn es im ersten Moment nicht schmeichelhaft ist, weil es wunde Punkte berührt. Letztlich verändern diese Fertigkeiten auch den Umgang mit mir selbst. Ich lerne, mir verständnisvoller zu begegnen und meine Ziele oder Bedürfnisse klarer zu formulieren“, reflektiert Markus Dressnandt die positiven Veränderungen, die MENC bereits bei ihm angestoßen hat.
Within MENC, I feel accepted with all my rough edges. I find this protected space emotionally empowering. It helps me not let setbacks or minor issues deter me from my path.
Markus Dressnandt, Deputy Head of Communications at EuroNatur, Mentor at MENC
Lorena: From Mentee to Mentor
Lorena Pyze Xhafaj embarked on this intensive personal development journey just over a year ago. As a career changer in nature conservation, she faced significant challenges at EuroNatur's Albanian partner organisation PPNEA. Although she immediately felt a strong sense of purpose and belonging, initially understanding the complexity of her new role and the field of nature conservation was challenging. As a mentee at MENC, she focused on building the self-confidence and resilience she needed to fully embrace her position. "It's so rewarding to see how Lorena has developed since her first interview for the application at MENC. We have a well-established personality before us, self-assured and emotionally empowered. It was not for nothing that we encouraged Lorena to join the new round as a mentor." She says: "When I joined MENC as a mentee, the programme became a powerful source of inspiration, strengthening and deepening my connection with like-minded individuals. It fostered my professional and personal growth and reinforced the sense of belonging I had already found at PPNEA. I cultivated closer relationships and developed more confidence in sharing ideas and participating more actively in discussions. The programme taught me the importance of pausing, reflecting, and prioritising—a critical skill for managing the demands of a fast-paced and dynamic environment."
Sometimes progress requires pausing, reassessing, and then returning with renewed energy and purpose. As a mentor, I have the opportunity to give back by supporting others in having similar transformative experiences to the ones I had as a mentee.
Lorena Pyze Xhafaj, Communications and PR Manager at PPNEA, former mentee, now mentor at MENC
“MENC, a milestone in my development”
Lorena has developed into a seasoned communications expert, leading PPNEA's communications and public relations efforts with great clarity. Her experience from the mentoring programme helps her, among other things, strengthen national and international partnerships with other organisations to launch effective conservation efforts. "Being selected as a mentor in the MENC programme feels like a milestone in my professional and personal development. It reflects the journey I've taken, the insights I've gained, and the valuable connections I've made along the way," says Lorena. If Leonie Kraut could wish for one thing for the mentoring programme, it would be that "we can secure funding for many more rounds and that mentoring becomes increasingly important in the eyes of larger organisations and sponsors. The opportunities inherent in personal development are worth investing in."
