Mentors

Mentorship Program

Mentorship is a big part of the Center's 4-week program. Mentors are the role models, coaches, acquaintances, and guiding lights who will be a crucial part of developing our participants to positively improve their communities, enhance their leadership skills, and become global citizens. The goal of the Mentor/Mentee relationship is to offer both parties a chance to learn from each other and to build understanding across generations, culture, citizenship, backgrounds, etc.

Below are some questions that help to provide insight into the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa Mentorship Program.

Why Mentor?
As a mentor, you might be the guide, coach, or expert that a young leader is looking up to for inspiration, motivation, and support.

Who is a Mentor?
A mentor in the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa Program is someone who has worked at least three meaningful years and can use his/her own experiences to provide some perspective or specific skill guidance. S/he is interested in helping a Mentee to build leadership skills by exposing real life examples, sharing opportunities for growth, and helping to foster insights.

How Much Time Does it Take to Mentor?
It is totally up to you, as the Mentor, and the Mentee. It can just be a call once a month, frequent contact via Email, etc. However, we encourage Mentors and Mentees to interact at least once a week during the six-month mentorship relationship if possible. At the end of the six-month program, the Mentor and Mentee will have the option to continue or discontinue their engagement if they feel that they have achieved their mutually set goals.

How is a Mentor and a Mentee Matched?
The best mentorship relationships are those that happen organically. As such, once a Mentor completes a form found here, a Mentor profile is built and shared on a private portal open only to participants of the YALI RLC East Africa Program. Participants can then identify and request to be matched with a Mentor based on the criteria that s/he is looking for in a Mentor. Upon approval, the mentor and the mentee define mutually agreeable goals and work towards achieving them.

What Are the Benefits of Being a Mentor?
Mentoring is a mutually beneficial relationship. You will learn new, alternative ways of thinking or approaching life’s challenges. You will be challenged to stay on top of industry/organizational/topical news and trends so that you can provide your Mentee with up-to-date advice. You will get satisfaction from empowering your Mentee to improve himself/herself.

Does being a mentor attract any monetary benefit? No.
Being a Mentor is voluntary and unpaid.

What is the role of YALI RLC EA on supporting mentorship? What kind of support does the leadership Center offer?
The YALI RLC EA Team will offer technical assistance, reference materials, mentorship workshops and other forms of support to the mentors and mentees.

Please note: We cannot guarantee mentor/mentee placement because the matchmaking system depends upon the preferences and needs of the individual parties. Being a Mentor is voluntary and unpaid.

We sincerely appreciate your willingness to share your time, talent, skills, and knowledge with a young leader through the YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa Mentorship Program. For questions regarding the Mentorship Program, please contact Alumni & Volunteer Relations Office, alumni.relations@yalieastafrica.org.

Mentorship Resources

The YALI Regional Leadership Center East Africa program is designed to offer resources, tools, and knowledge to participants to help them throughout their leadership journey (during and beyond the formal 4-week program). For this reason, we offer an optional opportunity to engage with a Mentor during the program. Mentors are the role models, coaches, acquaintances, and guiding lights who will be a crucial part of developing our participants to positively improve their communities, enhance their leadership skills, and become global citizens. The goal of the Mentor/Mentee relationship is to offer both parties a chance to learn from each other and to build understanding across generations, culture, citizenship, backgrounds, etc.

However, we cannot guarantee a placement because the matchmaking system depends upon the preferences and needs of the individual participant and the current pool of Mentors. There are LIMITED number of Mentee spots, so not all who apply will be matched with a Mentor. For Mentees who miss the one on one matching, we have put in place a mechanism of access to virtual mentorship resources that they may look up and find mentors matching their preferences. We encourage participants to get a mentor who will guide them during this exciting journey of transformative learning.