Objectives

The WA Mentoring Program aims to facilitate productive mentoring partnerships by linking Mentors with Mentees in order to provide participants with constructive opportunities to reflect on and expand on their professional and career objectives, capabilities, skills and networks.

The WA WEN Mentoring Program will thus align with and feed into the broader objectives of the Women in Economics Network including to: 

• Professionally connect and support the career development of women in economics
• Increase the representation of women at all levels of the economics profession
• Promote public contributions by female economists
• Encourage more young women to study and work in the field of economics

Eligibility Criteria for Mentees

• Member of WA WEN
• Tertiary Economics Students, Early Career Economics Researchers & Economics professionals with less than 10 years career experience
• Can commit to liaising with an assigned Mentor on at least 6 occasions over a 12 month period
• Will be respectful in observing and maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality in all aspects of the Mentee-Mentor relationship
• Has the capacity, availability and commitment to work with a mentor Eligibility

Criteria for Mentors

• Any Gender (i.e. Both Male and Female Mentors are welcome to be Mentors)
• Preferably a Member of WA WEN
• Is able to be understanding and helpful to assisting the Mentee(s) with achieving specific objectives and can be sensitive to aims, goals and needs
• Is willing to commit to liaising with an assigned Mentor on at least 6 occasions over a 12 month period
• Has the capacity, confidence and availability to support and work with the Mentee(s)
• Can commit to liaising with assigned Mentee(s) on at least 6 occasions over a 12 month period
• Will be respectful in observing and maintaining appropriate boundaries and confidentiality in all aspects of the Mentee-Mentor relationship

Flexible Scheduling & Structuring of Mentoring Sessions

Ultimately the WA WEN Mentoring Program aims to foster an environment in which mentoring partnerships are developed organically through the making of connections. 

The WA WEN Mentoring Program therefore takes a flexible approach to the mentoring relationship, which means the frequency and duration mentoring sessions can be negotiated and determined by the Mentees and Mentors in each of the Mentoring relationships. 

As such each of the Mentoring pairs will be responsible for scheduling meetings, developing goals for the year, determining topics for discussion at each meeting, completing any actions identified. 

However it is strongly suggested that Mentee and Mentors liaise directly with each other at least 6 times over a 12 month period.

Application Process

Prospective Mentees and Mentors will be asked to complete a short Expression of Interest (EOI) Form to assess their eligibility for the program and to also collect more information about what they are looking for from participating in the WA WEN Mentoring Program and details about what they are optimally looking for in a mentoring partner.

The completion and submission of the EOI Form by each prospective Mentee and Mentor will help to determine their ability to participate in the WA WEN Mentoring Program and also collects information from them about their respective areas of interests, availability, etc. to further assist with matching process.

Once a completed EOI Form is submitted, it will be reviewed to help determine suitability to participate in the WA WEN Program and facilitate the matching process. Any individual who submits an EOI Form will be advised about their ability to participate in the WA WEN Mentoring Program within 7 Business Days of when they initially submitted their EOI Form.

The process for matching Mentees with Mentors within the WA WEN Mentoring Program will therefore draw upon the information gathered and collated from the participants through details provided on their submitted EOI Forms. For example, an understanding of the career goals of each Mentee and their objectives for being mentored will be analysed, as will the professional experiences and expertise of each Mentor to assist with appropriate matching.

FAQs

Is there any cost to apply or to be in the WA WEN Mentoring Program?                         

There is no application or participation fee for Mentees or Mentors to be a part of the WA WEN Mentoring Program

What if the matching with my Mentor/Mentee doesn’t work? 

In the unlikely event that you feel an inappropriate matching has taken place, please notify WA WEN so that we can liaise with both parties to explore alternate options. If appropriate and where possible, a new match can then be identified and facilitated. 

Still not sure?  Contact us: wen@esawa.org.au

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