Wedu's Reflective Guide on Transformative Mentorship : simplebooklet.com

This Guide contains reflective questions, case studies, and activities to lay the foundations for an impactful andeffective mentoring journey.You do not have to complete this entire workbook. We understand that some of you already have previousmentoring experience and/or are under considerable time pressure. To start with, we recommend having a lookthrough the Table of Contents.3Congratulations onbecoming a mentor!HOW TO USE THIS REFLECTIVE GUIDEAs a bare minimum, we recommend that you complete Part 2: You as a mentor and Part 3: Your mentee andyou. Within each part, the exercises build on each other, so if possible, do them in a linear sequence. Beforeyour first mentoring session, we also recommend that you go through ‘Part 5: Setting up for success’. Doing allthree sections should take you between 2-3 hours to complete. Apart from this, choose sections that will develop you the most as a mentor. We have put brief descriptions ofeach part, below.For a quick introduction to Wedu and our expertise in mentorship, have a read of ‘Part 1: Introduction to Wedu’.Engaging with the reflective exercises in ‘Part 2: You as a mentor’ is crucial. This part seeks to make you moreconscious of your power and privilege as a mentor. This is critical for you to understand the scenarios insubsequent parts.‘Part 3: Your mentee and you: Adopting a mentee-centred and trauma-informed approach to mentoring’ willgive you strategies to centre your mentees’ needs.There are also tools and activities that will help you to takecare of both yourself and your mentee during the mentorship.‘Part 4: Cross-cultural mentoring’ highlights things to consider when working with a mentee who hails from avery different background to yourself.Prior to having your first mentoring session, we recommend that you engage with ‘Part 5: Setting up forsuccess’. There is a handy table of Do’s and Don’ts to consider. We also go through four common challenges inmentorships and suggest remedies for each one.Finally, we have peppered Case Studies throughout this Guide. These case studies were written based oninterviews with Wedu’s mentors and mentees, who generously shared their experiences so that other mentorsand mentees could learn from them. (The names have been changed to protect privacy.)Enjoy the journey and the learnings to come!

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Wedu is building a world where half of all leaders are women.We nurture and invest in women's purposeful leadership journeys and mobilise alliesand communities towards alternative futures where women leaders thrive.6A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWe take purposeful actionWe embrace a profound sense of responsibility to be a force for change in our contexts, systems, andhome planet. We are passionate about (un)learning and we celebrate reflective practice.We build collective powerWe believe power is multiplied when it’s shared. Our work is animated by principles of solidarity, care,and reciprocity. We centre structurally excluded women and call in diverse allies.We show up with courageBecause our vision requires boldness, we cultivate resilience and transformational presence.We lead by exampleWe strive to model the feminist future we’re co-creating, even if we don’t get it right 100% of the time.**We believe feminism provides the best paradigm to imagine a different world for all. It ventures beyond gender equity toencompass joyful transformation and intersectional and healing justice.Our valuesKey termsWomen: At Wedu, we see gender as a matter of self-determination. Our definition of womenincludes cis women, trans women and everyone who identifies as a woman using she/her orshe/they pronouns.Structurally excluded: This term describes how formal institutions, policies, and systems - as wellas social architecture - have been unjustly designed and used to prevent certain groups fromenjoying their full spectrum of rights and participating in decisions.

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7A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWomen take purposeful actionto advance their leadershipand pursue their goals.INDIVIDUAL CAPABILITIES & RESOURCESWomen collectively strengthenand nurture each other as leaders.COMMUNITYGender equity alliescreate opportunities for andchampion women leaders.ALLYSHIPAt Wedu, we focus our changemaking efforts at three levels:Our expertise in facilitating MentorshipWedu has over a decade of experience facilitating one-on-one, long- term mentorship that supportswomen to achieve their goals while strengthening their leadership capabilities and sustaining theirleadership journeys. Throughout our first decade, we’ve seen that mentoring is the most sustainable wayto support women whose ambitions extend far into the future.Our multi-generational community of volunteer mentors has grown to over 1,600 people who representmore than 90 nationalities and work in diverse careers: from the development sector, business and law tosocial impact and finance.In addition, we provide spaces and opportunities for women to connect, learn and collaborate tostrengthen their leadership, and engage more allies of all genders and mobilise them for deeper genderequity impact.We believe that if gender allies take action in support of women’s leadership, then public and privatesector organisations will create a more enabling environment for women’s leadership and a moresupportive working environment for women.We pair women with mentors using asophisticated matching algorithm based onleadership traits.We sustain mentorship progress througheffective onboarding and a bespokecurriculum anchored on Wedu’s leadershipmodel.We support mentors with ongoingcommunications and learning spaces,along with effectively strengtheningregional networks.

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8A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipMentorship can mean different things to manypeople. We believe that the formation of a strongbond between a mentor and a mentee should beimpactful and personal. A mentor is someone to look up to and reach out tofor guidance. A mentor is the navigator, providingdirection, yet leaving the ultimate decision of thedestination up to the driver – the mentee.As a mentor, you are committing to being an activegender equity ally. Your commitmentRECAP

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10We believe that there are six key elements thattogether make up who you are as a mentor. Theseelements are:You as a mentorTHE SIX ELEMENTS OF YOU AS A MENTORPART 2:A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipYourPositionalityYour‘Why’YourCore BeliefsYourCore ValuesYour uniquementoring styleYour ability to bepower literateYour ‘Why’People put themselves forward to become a mentor for various reasons. At this early stage of yourmentoring journey, it is crucial to understand why you are here, as this will lay the foundations forhow you show up for your mentee and the experience that you co-create with your mentee.So— first things first:

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11A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWhy are you here?REFLECTION ACTIVITYSome people who are interested in becoming mentors do so because they want to‘help’ others. Does this apply to you? ‘HELPING’ VS. ‘LEARNING WITH’ YOUR MENTEE How is wanting to ‘help’ your mentee, different from wanting to ‘learn together’,with your mentee? The motivations behind wanting to ‘help’ your mentee and wanting to ‘learn with’ your mentee, cansignificantly impact the dynamics and outcomes of your mentoring relationship.

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12A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHere are some of the differences between the two approaches:Which approach do you think has potential to lead to a more equalpower dynamic? And why does this matter?1. If you are driven by the motivation to ‘help’ your mentee, you may be driven by adesire to assist your mentee in overcoming challenges, acquiring new skills, andachieving their goals.Whilst this may not necessarily be a bad thing, wanting to ‘help’ may lead to a more hierarchical dynamic,with you as a mentor positioned as a guide or advisor. The focus is primarily on your mentee'sdevelopment, and you as the mentor impart knowledge and experience to support your mentee's growth.Success is measured primarily by your mentee's progress and achievements, and you as the mentor mayfind fulfillment in contributing to the mentee's success and well-being.2. If you are driven by the motivation to ‘learn with’ your mentee, then you may be motivated by a desire for mutual learning and growth.You recognize that mentoring is a collaborative process where both parties can benefit from each other'sperspectives and experiences.You view your mentee as a partner in the learning journey, and both of you can contribute ideas andinsights to the relationship. You value the exchange of ideas and the opportunity to broaden your ownknowledge through the mentoring relationship.Success is measured not only by your mentee's development but also by your own personal andprofessional growth.

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13We encourage a ‘learning with’ approach to your mentorship. One of the reasons for this is becauseit mitigates the risk of the mentor falling into the ‘Saviour Complex’ trap.A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWe deeply care about setting up mentorships with more equal power-sharing between mentors andmentees. A ‘learning with’ approach (rather than a ‘helping’ approach) assumes that each of you hassomething to share and teach the other. Therefore, you are both learners, embarking on a mentorship together. This is how you can practicea more equal power dynamic in your mentorship.We go into more depth in the section, ‘Your ability to be power literate’.THE ‘SAVIOUR COMPLEX‘The ‘Saviour Complex’ is where you view your role as a mentor as crucial in thedevelopment and indeed, survival, of your mentee. This leaves you vulnerable to thinkingthat you need to ‘rescue’ your mentee. Your positionalityWHAT IS POSITIONALITY?Positionality refers to an individual's social, cultural, and personal context that influencestheir perspectives and biases, shaping how they perceive and engage with the world. It recognises that one's position within society and their unique identity impact theirunderstanding of various issues and interactions.Why does it matter to understand your positionality as a mentor?

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14A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHere are some of the reasons why it is crucialto understand your positionality as a mentor: Cultural Sensitivity: Your background, experiences,and identity shape your worldview. Being aware of yourpositionality helps you recognise potential culturalbiases and assumptions that may influence yourmentoring approach.Power Dynamics: Mentorship inherently involves powerdynamics, with the mentor typically having moreexperience or knowledge in a particular domain.Understanding your positionality helps you navigatethese power dynamics responsibly.Communication and Relatability: Your positionalityinfluences your communication style, language, and theexamples you use. Understanding it helps you tailoryour communication to be more relatable and effectivein building trust with your mentee. Avoiding Assumptions and Stereotypes: Unconsciousbiases and stereotypes can influence your perceptionsand actions. Understanding your positionality helps youidentify and challenge these biases, fostering a moreequitable mentoring relationship.WHAT IS PRIVILEGE?According to Goodwill (2020:14), ‘Privilege is the type of power you get from a socialrelation whereby you benefit due to the social group you belong to, at the expense ofanother social group. It is an unearned advantage given to you because of your identity.When you have privilege, it is often invisible to you. Because identity categories do notexist independently from each other (they are intersectional), it is possible to haveprivilege and also experience oppression at the same time.’ Understanding your positionality: Let’s map your privileges!

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15A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipCircle the Privileges and Oppressions that are relevant to you.1. Look at the different identities in the circle above. The identities in the inner circle areprivileged, whereas the identities in the outer circle are more oppressed (this can varydepending on geographic context and other factors).2. For each category (eg. class) take a marker and circle the word that corresponds to youridentity (eg. middle class).3. Add in any categories that are missing in the blank segment and colour accordingly.4. Write down the privilege you have, and the resulting advantages that you and others mayhave had throughout your life, as a result.Figure 2.1 Goodwill (2020:15)Privilege and Oppression WheelImage Description: A circle made up of 3layers. The outer layer is populated withidentities that experience different forms ofoppression. The inner layer is populated withidentities that experience different forms ofprivilege. The innermost layer contains acircle with the word, ‘Privilege’. REFLECTION ACTIVITYHow do you think that the privileges and oppressionsthat you experience may show up in your mentorship?

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16A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipList up to 5 of your core values.Expand each value into a 1-sentence explanation of what they specifically mean to you.For example, for the core value, ‘Service’, a one sentence explanation may be: ‘Mywork is always in service of others, and not just for my own individual gain.’Resources on core valuesIf you want some inspiration to identify your core values, there are multiple listsavailable online, including:James Clear’s list of Core ValuesSoul Salt’s list of Core ValuesScience of People’s list of Core Values REFLECTION ACTIVITYOnce again, identify up to 5 that resonate with you.Your core valuesTOPTIP!Just because you and your mentee may identify the same core value (i.e.use the same word), does not mean that the two of you ascribe the samemeaning to that core value. For example, ‘Fairness’, can mean very differentthings to two different individuals.Core Value 1 ExplanationCore Value 2 ExplanationCore Value 3ExplanationCore Value 4 ExplanationCore Value 5 Explanation

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17Maria is a 50-year-old woman from Portugal who runs a successful IT business. She already had quite alot of experience mentoring women in IT in Portugal, before deciding to mentor women in IT in otherparts of the world. She joined Wedu as a mentor two years ago and has so far mentored one womanfrom Nepal and one from Vietnam.For Maria, she was aware that two of her core values were: ‘Challenge’ and ‘Vulnerability’. Her core valueof ‘Challenge’ was one of the reasons why she signed up to be a Wedu mentor, because she wanted tochallenge herself to understand the world outside of her bubble. Maria's core value of 'Vulnerability' became evident in her mentoring sessions when she observed hermentees facing personal and professional challenges. When mentees expressed self-doubt anddisparaging thoughts, such as, ‘I don’t do anything right!’, Maria drew on her own experiences, sharingstories of her faults and fears. By revealing her vulnerabilities, Maria humanized herself to her menteesand emphasized that she was not a superhero but rather, a human being who had encountered similarstruggles. By understanding her core values, Maria was able to reflect on which core values she needed to drawon, in response to particular situations with her mentees. Her core value of ‘Vulnerability’, for example,helped her to connect, reassure and support her mentees through challenging experiences.A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHow your core values canguide your mentoringCASE STUDYWhich of your core values would you like to be the guiding principles for thismentoring relationship? Why?TOPTIP!Be mindful when sharing about your own experiences. Experiences that mayseem similar on the surface, like ‘challenges with finding work’, may becompletely different in your mentee’s environment / context. Avoidcomments that don't consider the environmental factors that may be shapingyour mentees’ challenges in ways that do not apply in your context.

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18A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipReflecting on an event that has shaped a core belief.Recall and write down a specific event or experience that has significantly influenced the way you perceive theworld or yourself. REFLECTION ACTIVITYYour core beliefsWrite down a core belief that you hold about the world, yourself,and the role of a mentor, as a result of the above event. Here are examples to help get you started:Event: My family fell on hard financial times when I was 9 years old. Sometimes, it was actsof kindness from complete strangers that helped us survive those years of hardship.Worldview: I believe in the impact of kindness. In a world often filled with complexities, smallacts of kindness can create significant positive change.Belief about myself: I do not always have to rely solely on myself. I can lean on support fromother people, too.Role of a mentor: This is why I want to be someone that another person can lean on forsupport, as their mentor. EventWorldviewBelief aboutmyselfRole of amentor

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19A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipIdentifying your core beliefs is crucial when you area mentor for several reasons. Here are the top 3:Alignment with Mentoring Goals: Understanding your corebeliefs allows you to assess whether they support thementorship's objectives and the growth of your mentee.Cultural Sensitivity: Core beliefs often reflect culturalinfluences and personal values. Being aware of these beliefswill help you navigate cultural differences, ensuring that yourguidance is respectful of your mentee’s core beliefs andcultural values.Personal Growth and Adaptability: Identifying your corebeliefs provides opportunities for self-reflection and personalgrowth. It allows you to recognise when your beliefs mayneed to evolve based on new experiences or insights.Which of your beliefs about the role of a mentor,do you want to consciously bring into the mentoring relationship? Which of these beliefs / assumptions may show up unconsciouslyduring the mentorship? (and therefore you need to be more aware of!)RESOURCEIf you have extra time, you can listen to this podcast on the Three Big Mythsof Mentoring and use it to reflect on your own beliefs about mentoring.(Duration: 22 minutes.)

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20A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipVeneKlasen and Miller (2007) write about four distinct expressions of power:Your ability to be power literateMy mentor gave me questions to reflect on, like keys that opened doors. I used to think thatI was weak, but through my mentor’s questions, I have been able to see my strengths andpotential. My mentor let me choose what to do or not to do, depending on my context.’ Power Over: The most commonly recognised form of power. It has many negativeassociations for people, such as repression, force, coercion, discrimination, corruption,and abuse. Power is seen as a win-lose kind of relationship. Having power involves takingit from someone else, and then using it to dominate and prevent others from gaining it.Power With: Has to do with finding common ground among different interests andbuilding collective strength. ‘Power with’ is based on mutual support, solidarity, andcollaboration. It multiplies individual talents and knowledge.Power To: Refers to the unique potential of every person to shape his / her / their life andworld. For example, cis-gendered men are more likely to be sponsored by other cis-gendered men in furthering their career development. This significantly enhances their‘power to’ shape their lives and the broader world. This is why mentorships thatspecifically support cis-gendered women, transwomen, and gender-diverse individuals,can be an opportunity to deliberately bolster these groups’ ‘power to’ shape their livesand the broader world.Power Within: Has to do with a person’s sense of self-worth and self-knowledge. Itincludes an ability to recognize individual differences while respecting others. ‘Powerwithin’ is the capacity to imagine and have hope. It affirms the common human search fordignity and fulfillment.

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21A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipPower betweena mentor and a menteeCASE STUDYNingli is a 30 year old mentee from China. Her mentor, Caroline, is a 40 year old woman of Thaidescent, based in Canada. Ningli leads a full life with work, school and a young family to raise.She signed up for the mentoring program because she wanted a clearer sense of direction with hercareer and to improve her leadership skills. She was excited to engage with the mentorshipcurriculum to expand her knowledge about leadership.During Ningli and Caroline’s first mentoring session, Caroline asked Ningli a lot of questions about thepolitical situation in China. Ningli was slightly surprised by this, but thought that it was Caroline’s wayof getting to know her.Unfortunately, in subsequent sessions, even though Ningli already came prepared with goals that shewanted to discuss, Caroline always redirected the questions back to the political situation in China.Apart from this, the only other topic that Caroline seemed keen to discuss was ‘self-care’. Carolinecame from a Psychology background and she felt that imparting strategies to ‘be good to oneself’and to ‘take time for self-care’, was the most useful knowledge that she could pass onto Ningli.After four sessions, Ningli asked for a rematch with a different mentor. Ningli felt frustrated that shewas not being supported to reach her goals.Which forms of power do you think Caroline was exercising in this situation?Power OverPower WithPower ToPower Within

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22A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHave you been in a similar situation before, where someone used their ‘power over’ you?e.g. Have you had someone use their ‘power over’ you in a work context? The above Case Study is an example of how a mentor used her ‘Power Over’ their mentee, to keepprioritising topics of conversations that she was interested in. Also, by insisting on talking about‘self-care’, a topic that Caroline was qualified and experienced in, she was over-exerting the ‘PowerWithin’ herself.In Ningli’s case, as a mentee, she still had not built her ‘Power To’ and ‘Power Within’ muscles topush back and/or confront her mentor and express her needs. This can be challenging for a menteeto do, especially when their needs contradict their mentor’s desires and interests. TOPTIP!Let your mentee drive the topics of your conversations. This can be assimple as always asking your mentee what they think would be thebest use of your time together.How do you think Caroline’s assumptions about the role of a mentor shaped theway she used her power in this situation?

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23A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipLeading with questions,rather than answersCASE STUDYRadhika is a 22 year old Wedu mentee. One summer, she went on a holiday where unfortunately,Radhika and her entire group of travelers were scammed by the tour guide. The situation escalatedand the entire group ended up at the police station.In their efforts to be taken seriously by the police officers, some of the older, male travellers pointedto Radhika (who was the youngest member of the group) and said, ‘This college student, she was upcrying all night, because of how upset she was at this whole situation!’At that moment, Radhika felt angry and disrespected. This statement by the older, male traveller wasa lie. Radhika had not spent all night crying. Of course, she was bothered by the situation, but to bedescribed in this way was simply false. She was disturbed by this older, male stranger’s framing ofher as a vulnerable, naïve, and innocent victim, simply by virtue of her age and gender.This depiction was in direct contrast to Radhika’s experience of herself. She has many experiences ofbeing a leader, in charge of running spaces, facilitating discussions, and navigating complex groupdynamics. Nonetheless, Radhika still felt like she had to prove to others in the group that she was notthe person that they assumed her to be.Still feeling conflicted and confused, Radhika took this experience to her mentor, Buppha. She asked,‘What can I do in the future to fix this? How can I prove myself to earn the respect of other people?’In a peaceful tone, Buppha asked, ‘Why do you have to prove yourself to earn other people’s respectin that situation? Why do you have to do something to be worthy? Is it possible that you are alreadyenough, just as you are?’Radhika fell silent. Buppha’s questions led her to check in with the ‘power within’ herself. She realizedthat she did not need to ‘do’ anything to be worthy of other people’s respect, including in a situationwhere the group needed to solve a problem. She realized that it was unacceptable that other peoplewould use her identity, without her consent, in their attempts to solve a problem.In Radhika’s culture, there are many people who would approach mentoring by telling people what todo. What Radhika loved most about Buppha’s response was that, rather than giving Radhika aconcrete answer in terms of how to ‘fix’ a situation, her mentor posed a series of open-endedquestions for Radhika to answer herself.

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24A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHave you ever had someone show up for you in a way that ignitedthe ‘Power Within’ you? How did they do so?TOPTIP!Keep in mind what makes powerful questions. Generally speaking,questions that begin with ‘Why?’ ‘What?’ and ‘How?’ are more likely tolead to useful insights. For example: asking why your mentee has aparticular goal, asking what the issue is to narrow down a problem, andhow your mentee might focus on what is within their control. Which forms of power do you think Buppha, as a mentor,was exercising in this situation?Power OverPower WithPower ToPower WithinBuppha was using her ‘Power To’ gently shift Radhika’s perspective in response to a challenging situation.By doing so, she also helped to ignite the ‘Power Within’ Radhika. This interaction between a mentor andmentee also demonstrates how we can practice ‘Power With’ our mentees, by enabling them to stay groundedin themselves as a human being, who deserves respect and does not need to prove themselves in order toreceive it. For example, was there a time when you doubted your ability to do a task and another person reminded you ofall the things you had already accomplished, which ignited the ‘Power Within’ you to complete the said task. What impact did it have on you?RESOURCESFor more on how to craft powerful and insightful questions, check these out:The Art of Powerful Questions: Catalyzing Insight, Innovation, and ActionA Bigger GameAsking insightful questions, a core mentoring practice

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25A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHere are just some of the reasons why being awareof power dynamics is crucial in a mentoring relationship: Impact of Broader Power Dynamics:Power dynamics in the broader world may shape the power dynamics between two peoplein a mentoring relationship. For example, gendered power dynamics that privilegescisgendered men over cisgendered women may play out in how a male mentor and afemale mentee interact.If you are a cisgendered man mentoring a cisgendered woman or a transwoman, beingaware of the relative power that you have as a cisgendered man in society, will help you tointentionally create a safer space for your mentee. Why do you think it’s crucial to be aware ofpower dynamics in your mentoring relationship?Preventing Exploitation:Mentees seek out mentorships for a variety of reasons, including a clearer sense ofdirection and better leadership skills, an improved network, and wanting to improve theirperformance / impact in their current role. In other words, there are things that a menteewill want from their mentor.Being a power literate mentor involves understanding that as someone who has somethingtheir mentee wants, that this act of giving needs to be done responsibly, within clearlycommunicated boundaries.Setting clear boundaries can avoid situations where mentees feel like they need to dosomething for their mentors, which they may not be comfortable with, to get what theywant from their mentors.Setting clear boundaries can also avoid situations where mentors feel obligated to give allthat mentees ask for. It’s a good practice to do, all around!

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26A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipAutonomy and Ownership: Finally, being aware of power dynamics enables mentors to encourage mentee’s autonomyof thought, independence and decision-making, which can lead to mentees takingownership of their own mentoring journey. TOPTIP!Be aware of cross-cultural power dynamics. For instance, there arecultural contexts where people do not say ‘no’ directly. So, you need tolearn what a ‘no’ looks like in that cultural context. We will discuss thissome more in the section, Cross-cultural mentoring. Your unique mentoring styleVIDEO RESOURCE & REFLECTION ACTIVITYWatch this video on differentapproaches to mentoring byDr. Kimberly Griffin(TEDxUMaryland 2015).(Begin watching at 01.50.Duration: 12 minutes.) If you were a mentor figure on a reality TV show, who would you be?

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27A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipREFLECTION ACTIVITYWhere are you on these spectrums?Structured FlexibleDirective:You give your mentees instructionInquisitive:You ask your mentees questionsTask-driven:You give your menteestasks to completeOrganic:You let your mentees decide what theywant to discuss for each sessionListening:You prefer to spend the majorityof the time listeningTalking:You prefer to spend the majority of thetime sharing your perspectivesOpen to life updates: You are open to your menteessharing about their broader lifeFocus on objectives:You prefer to stick to the agreed objectivesof each session given the limited timeInstant response:You prefer instant responsesin communicationDelayed responses:You are understanding of delayedresponses from your mentee,within an agreed time frameSpecific support:You only want to give specifictypes of support to your mentee,as agreed from the startGeneral support:You are open to providingsupport in broad ways,which may evolve over time

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29A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWorking with aneurodivergent mentee CASE STUDYSophea is a 23 year old Cambodian woman who was paired with Delaram, a 37 year old Scottish-Iranian woman. During their first mentoring session, Delaram asked Sophea, ‘Tell me about yourself.’ Sophea started to talk, in detail, about her day-to-day life. This included sharing about what timeshe woke up every day, her morning routine, what she ate for breakfast and so on.Delaram was a bit puzzled by Sophea’s response but thought to herself, ‘Maybe it’s because Englishis not her first language. So, she didn’t quite understand what I meant by my question.’After more than five minutes, Delaram interrupted Sophea with another question, ‘Okay. That’senough, Sophea. Thank you. Can you tell me what your goals for the mentorship are?’Sophea started to say, repeatedly, ‘Okay. That’s enough, Sophea. Thank you. Can you tell me whatyour goals for the mentorship are?’ After a few repetitions, Sophea then said, ‘I want to find a job.’At the end of their first call, Delaram sat in front of her laptop with a puzzled facial expression.Meanwhile, Sophea found the meeting so stressful that she needed to get up, pace around her roomfor more than 15 minutes, before her body relaxed.Delaram decided to reach out to Wedu for a debrief. Thankfully, there was a member of the Weduteam who was neurodiverse. Upon hearing descriptions of Sophea’s communication style, shepointed to the possibility that Sophea may be a person with autism.At the mention of this, Delaram thought, ‘Oh! If that was the case, that would make a lot of sense!’Delaram decided to research the communication preferences of people with autism. She alsoresolved to find out how supported people with autism are in Cambodia.How might you ask questions in a way that a person with autism can best understand?

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30A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWhat are some of your assumptions about how to communicate well? TOPTIP!Remember that a mentee-centred approach will requireyou to adapt your style to meet your mentee’s needs. Why does it matter to question some of these assumptionswhen working with neurodiverse individuals? Some neurodiverse individuals may find it difficult to answer open-ended questions such as, ‘Tell meabout yourself.’ Aim instead to ask specific questions that directly ask for the details that you areinterested in. Unfortunately, dominant ways of communicating rely a lot on an individual’s ability to notice, interpretand understand social and emotional cues. This can be challenging for some neurodiverse individuals. It is important to question our dominant assumptions about communication because theconsequences for neurodiverse individuals can be severe. For example, a neurodiverse person may bejudged as ‘not fit for the job’ during the interview stage, simply because they didn’t understand andrespond to questions in the same way that a neurotypical candidate would.

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33A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipAdopting a mentee-centred approach to mentoring—Why does this matter?We advocate for a mentee-centred approach to mentoring. We are committed to moreequal power sharing, including in mentorships.Mentees involved in this program may come from contexts where there are obstacles andbarriers to fully exercising their power.And so, the mentoring relationship can be one of the spaces where mentees are able tocome more fully into their power. This can be in the ‘power to’ shape their lives, 'powerwith' their broader community, as well as in fostering the ‘power within’ themselves.

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34A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipAdopting a mentee-centred approachCASE STUDYLeon is a human rights advocate based in Thailand, who has been a Wedu mentor for three years. Leon’sthird mentee, Aye, is a refugee living in an Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDP) camp on the border ofThailand and Myanmar.When Aye joined their first mentoring session online, she had no idea what Leon’s role was nor what themeeting was about. She had been looking for online, free training programs and that was how she foundWedu’s mentoring programme.Leon took a deep breath and decided to spend their first session giving Aye the mentorship orientationhimself. Suddenly, they were interrupted. Aye looked flustered, and said, ‘The local authority (of the IDPcamp) is doing a random inspection! I have to show them my refugee ID card.’ She disappeared abruptly.Undeterred, Leon waited online until Aye was able to reconnect. Leon managed to communicate that forthe following session, he wanted Aye to set at least 3 goals for the mentoring relationship. She agreed.After hanging up from the call, Aye felt glad. She had missed out on previous professional developmentopportunities because life in an IDP camp can be too unpredictable. This had caused tensions andmisunderstandings in other programs she had tried to be involved in. But her first impression of Leon wasthat he was patient and understanding.For their second session, Leon waited more than 10 minutes before Aye was able to join. Aye apologizedand mentioned internet problems, and also that her chronic pain condition had flared up.Leon made a mental note of Aye’s chronic pain condition. He lived with an invisible disability himself. So, hehad his own experience of needing more flexibility and understanding. Leon wondered what care Aye hadaccess to and made a note to ask about this, when the timing was right.A few minutes into their conversation about her goals, Aye had to leave again, saying, ‘The fooddistribution team is here. I have to go and queue for my rations.’ Leon understood. After all, he thought,‘Aye needs to eat! This mentoring session can wait!’Content Warning: This case study discusses experiences of people in an Internally Displaced Persons’camp and experiences of living with invisible disability and chronic pain.

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35A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHow do you think Leon’s actions and thoughts demonstrated a mentee-centred approach?Leon’s flexible approach to circumstances beyond Aye’s control, as well as Aye’s attempt tocontinue to connect and communicate with her mentor, both contributed to establishing a strongmentorship, despite rocky beginnings.Many mentees live in unpredictable and unsafe environments, such as conflict zones, InternallyDisplaced Persons’ camps and refugee camps. As a mentor, it is important to keep your mentee’sspecific context and the relevant challenges in mind, as you establish your relationship. We have alist of questions that we recommend to you at the start of your mentorship, in ‘Part 5: Setting up forsuccess. TOPTIP!Some mainstream assumptions around ‘professionalism’ can beinherently ableist. If your mentee lives with disability or chronic illness,or does not have access to basic, daily necessities, be prepared to beflexible in your approach to supporting their needs.RESOURCESYou can read more about Internally Displaced Persons here. Why do you think it’s important to understand your mentee’s context? What could have happened if Leon was NOT as flexibleand ready to adapt to Aye’s changing circumstances?

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36A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipAdopting a trauma-informed approach to mentoringVIDEO / AUDIO RESOURCEWatch or listen to this 5-minute video on Breath Work and Mindfulness by Capacitar International here. You can return to this simple exercise, to reground yourself, whenever you need to.Many mentees (and indeed mentors!) come from and currently live in environments and contexts wheretrauma may have shaped their lives in complex ways.Recent or ongoing social, political, economic and environmental upheavals may add layers of trauma,on top of existing and intergenerational trauma.Content Warning: We are about to engage with material to do with trauma.We are doing so to understand why adopting a trauma-informed approach to mentoring is crucial. It isimportant to centre the wellbeing and priorities of your mentee, whilst also taking care of yourself.It is very likely that you have also experienced trauma at some point in your life. To minimize the risk ofgetting triggered by this material, in an unmanageable way, let’s pause to do a grounding exercise.Watch / Listen to this video on Breath WorkRESOURCEThis exercise was taken from Capacitar International, an internationalresource for body-based healing work. You can access their free CapacitarEmergency Kits (available in over 32 languages), for more body-basedhealing and well-being exercises, here.

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37A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWHAT DO WE MEAN BY ‘TRAUMA’?Here is a definition of trauma from the National Organization of Asians and Pacific IslandersEnding Sexual Violence (NAPIESV 2015:20):‘The word ‘trauma’ is used to describe experiences or situations that are emotionally painfuland distressing, and that overwhelm people’s ability to cope, leaving them powerless.Trauma has sometimes been defined in reference to circumstances that are outside the realm ofnormal human experience. Unfortunately, this definition doesn’t always hold true. For some groupsof people, trauma can occur frequently and become part of the common human experience…Trauma is different for each person. An individual’s reaction depends on: personality, family history,emotional makeup, age, personal relations, culture, support system and resiliency…Most theories and interventions are made to address trauma, not the context…’ RESOURCEHere is a video about trauma featuring psychiatrist, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk,author of ‘The Body Keeps The Score’.What are the different forms of trauma to be aware of as a mentor? Burnout: A profound state of emotional, mental and physical exhaustion. Burnout is differentfrom stress in that burnout is the result of unrelenting stress, not just too much stress.Compassion Fatigue: The cost of caring for others who suffer from emotional distress. Ithappens when our ability to feel compassion, empathy and care lessens. We begin to feel tiredof ‘helping’ and the way in which we perceive others is affected.Vicarious Trauma: The transformation of your inner experience as a result of empathicengagement with people who have survived / are surviving traumatic events. Anyone workingwith survivors of trauma and violence is at risk of being negatively impacted by the variedeffects of vicarious trauma.Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS): This is the reaction you may have when you see or learnof a traumatic event that has happened to someone else despite not experiencing or beinginvolved in the event directly. We can be affected by the trauma others encounter, even if wehaven’t directly experienced it.

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38A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHistorical Trauma: The accumulative emotional and psychological pain over an individual’slifespan and across generations as the result of massive group trauma (Brave Heart-Jordan1995). Historical trauma can have varied effects on individuals and populations that mayinclude: unsettled trauma or grief, depression, high mortality, increase alcohol abuse, childabuse and domestic violence.Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): May develop following exposure to an extremelythreatening or horrific event or series of events. It is characterised by all of the following: 1) re-experiencing the traumatic event or events in the present in the form of vivid intrusivememories, flashbacks, or nightmares.; 2) avoidance of thoughts and memories of the event orevents, or avoidance of activities, situations, or people reminiscent of the event(s); and 3)persistent perceptions of heightened current threat. (The above list was sourced from a presentation byFoundation House: The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc.) What are the common signs and symptoms of trauma that you need to be aware of? BurnoutVicarious TraumaCompassion FatigueFatigueAngerFrustrationNegative reaction towardsothersCynicismNegativityWithdrawalSadness & GriefAvoidance or dread of working with certain peopleReduced ability to feel empathy towards othersSomatic complaintsAddictionNightmaresFrequest use of sick daysIncreased psychological arousalChanges in beliefs, expectations,assumptionsDetachmentDecreased intimacyAnxietySadnessConfusionApathyIntrusive imageryLoss of control, trust, andindependenceSomatic complaintsRelational disturbanceSIGNS & SYMPTOMSSecondaryTraumatic StressPost traumaticstress disorderHistorical TraumaEmotional Distress:Persistent feelings ofsadness, hopelessness, oranxiety. Emotionalnumbness or detachment.Repetition of Trauma Patterns:The transmission of trauma-related beliefs,behaviors, and coping mechanisms acrossgenerations, impacting the mental andemotional well-being of descendants.Flashbacks: Intense, recurringmemories, or vivid images ofthe traumatic event that canfeel as if the person is relivingthe experience.

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39A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipSIGNS & SYMPTOMSSecondaryTraumatic StressPost traumaticstress disorderHistorical TraumaIntrusive Thoughts:Repeated, distressingimages or memoriesrelated to the traumaexperiences of others.Nightmares ordifficulty sleeping.Avoidance:Avoidance of situations,conversations, or topicsassociated with trauma.Withdrawal from socialinteractions. Cultural Disconnection:A sense of cultural disconnection or loss,as historical trauma can disrupt thetransmission of cultural practices,traditions, and values.Persistent Grief:A collective sense of grief and lossrelated to historical injustices.Internalized Oppression:The Internalisation of negative societalattitudes and stereotypes, leading toself-blame, low self-esteem, and a senseof powerlessness within the community.Nightmares:Disturbing dreams related tothe traumatic event, whichmay lead to disrupted sleeppatterns.Avoidance:Persistent efforts to avoidthoughts, feelings, orreminders associated with thetrauma, including avoidingpeople, places, or activities.Emotional Numbing:Feeling emotionally detached,experiencing a restrictedrange of emotions, and findingit challenging to connect.Hypervigilance:An exaggerated state ofalertness, constant scanningof the environment forpotential threats, and beingeasily startled.Figure 3.1 Image Description: A table detailing the signs and symptoms ofBurnout, Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Traumatisation, Secondary TraumaticStress (STS), Historical Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).This table was adapted from a presentation byFoundation House: The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc.

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41A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipA trauma-informedapproach to mentoringCASE STUDYBhavisana is a transwoman living in Kathmandu, Nepal. She was paired with her mentor, Ferdinand, acisgendered, gay Filipino man, who worked as a researcher on LGBTIQA+ health issues and wascurrently completing his PhD in the United States. Bhavisana wanted to apply for a scholarship to doa bachelor’s degree in the United States and Ferdinand was ready to assist her. One month into the mentorship, Bhavisana had a falling out with her family, who disagreed with hergender identity as a transwoman. Bhavisana ended up homeless overnight. She called Ferdinand outof the blue, incredibly distressed and crying uncontrollably. As Ferdinand was listening to Bhavisana, he felt his heart start to race and his stomach begin toclench. Listening to Bhavisana’s stories was triggering his own memories of having been homelesshimself, when his family disowned him, out of shame for his sexual orientation. Fortunately, Ferdinand was able to recall exercises he had learned during a Mental Health First Aidcourse. Firstly, he centred himself by pressing his feet into the ground and breathing slowly throughhis nose and out through his mouth. Slowly, his heart slowed and his stomach relaxed. Meanwhile, Bhavisana moved on to talking about how she will not be able to apply for a scholarshipnow, given her situation. Ferdinand listened until she finished everything that she needed to say. It was at this point that Ferdinand said, ‘I am here for you. You are not alone. This mentorship is notjust about your goals. It’s about you as a whole person.’ Ferdinand then suggested that they workedtogether to address some of Bhavisana’s immediate needs first, mainly, for safe accommodation andemergency financial support. Fortunately, Ferdinand knew of an NGO who provided emergency relief for LGBTIQA+ community inKathmandu. Ferdinand asked Bhavisana if she would like to contact these organizations together.Bhavisana felt relieved that she was not navigating this situation alone. After this particularly charged video call, Ferdinand organized to have a debrief with a trusted peer.Content Warning: This case study discusses experiences of transphobia, homophobia, and homelessness.

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42A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWhat are some of the actions that Ferdinand did to take care of himself in this situation?TOPTIP!You may not be aware of resources that are available to your mentee locally.You do not have to know everything nor be everything for your mentee.If you do not feel equipped to support your mentee through a particularsituation or feel unsure how to do so, please reach out to the mentoringprogram team for support. What are the types of trauma that Ferdinandneeded to be aware of in this situation? Compassion fatigueBurnoutSecondary Traumatic Stress (STS)Vicarious TraumaHistorical TraumaPTSDOther type(s):________________________________What are some of the actions that Ferdinand did torespond to Bhavisana’s situation in a trauma-informed way?Why does adopting a trauma-informed approach matter,for both the mentor and the mentee?

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43A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWhat to do if your mentee is triggered during a mentoring session?Different people have different ‘triggers’, which may cause them to go into ‘fight’, ‘flight’, ‘freeze’ or‘fawn’ responses. These are the common responses that our bodies can go into, if it thinks that it isunder threat.For some people, their version of ‘feeling distressed’ may not be that visible or obvious. For example, aperson’s eyes may glaze over or they may experience ‘brain fog’ or an inability to focus on being in theroom and/or being present. Speaking or verbalizing their experience may become difficult.You are not expected to be your mentee’s counsellor or therapist.However, there are relatively simple exercises that you can do, to help your mentee to re-ground orre-centre themselves, which may be useful in such times.To be clear: More severe episodes of mental ill-health or ongoing experiences of mental ill-health mayrequire professional help and are beyond the scope of your role as a mentor.Here are 3 grounding exercises that you can do together with your mentee: Ask your mentee to feel their feet on the ground. You can ask them to push a little so they getfeedback from the earth. (If they cannot feel through their feet, then ask them to press a partof their body that they can feel, against a wall / table / chair.) Spend a few minutes exploringhow different parts of their feet / body are touching the surface.Ask your mentee to use one hand to gently tap different parts of their body, e.g. tap acrossyour chest, around your face, down your arms, and down your legs.Ask your mentee to name 5 things, 5 colours, and 5 smells that they notice in the room.The above exercises are intended to calm a person’s sympathetic nervous system (the system thatbecomes activated when a person goes into ‘survival mode’).Active ListeningIf your mentee is able, willing and wanting to speak about what is going on for them,here are some suggestions for how to hold space for your mentee:Ask open-ended questions to give your mentee an opportunity to say what they want to, e.g.‘How are you feeling?’Use minimal prompts when necessary to keep the conversation going, e.g. ‘I see’ or ‘Mmm…’ (orwhatever ‘sound’ you or your mentee normally makes to show that you are listening).

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44A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipActive Listening (continued)Be okay with pauses and silences. While they may feel uncomfortable, your mentee may needtime to think or find the right words.Acknowledge what they are saying, by saying things like, ‘Mm. That sounds really tough’ or‘What you are going through must be difficult.’Do not interrupt your mentee when they are speaking.Reflect back what your mentee has said to you to demonstrate that you are hearing andunderstanding them.Summarize facts and feelings.Use the same terminology that your mentee uses when discussing their experience, except ifthey used stigmatizing or disrespectful language.Respect your mentee’s feelings, personal values, and experiences as valid, even if they aredifferent from your own, or you disagree with them.Continue to listen non-judgmentally until you notice a ‘just noticeable difference’ in yourmentee’s state, e.g. your mentee has shifted from a flat, expressionless state, to a slightly moreemotionally expressive but still calm state. The above list has been adapted from guidelines on the Mental Health First Aid International website.TOPTIP!Ask for your mentee’s consent, if you want to reach out to other peopleto explore more ways that your mentee can be better supported intheir situation.RESOURCESMental Health First Aid International have some very useful guidelines andtraining programs, including on how to provide an initial response to mentalhealth crises.Here are a couple more resources on Active Listening: Tips to be a betterlistener and Mindful Listening as a mentor and mentee.

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45A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipYour Safety PlanThese questions were adapted from, ‘Creating Safe & Brave Spaces for You’ by The Australian Centre for Social Innovation. MENTORSHIP ACTIVITYOne way to practise a trauma-informed approach to mentoring is to think about your triggers and howyou will take care of yourself, before the mentoring even starts!Print out this one-page Safety Plan. Make sure you have access to it for every mentoring session.What emotions do you find most difficult to cope with? What does stress feel like in your body? What situations trigger these emotions? What processes will you put in place before and aftermentoring sessions to take care of yourself? Who can you go to for support if you are feeling stressed about this mentorship and thestories you hear? This can be professional service providers or personal contacts.

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46A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipResources to learn more about traumaResources on trauma commonly experienced by refugees: Foundation HouseResources specific to Asian and Pacific Islander populations: National Organization of Asiansand Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence (NAPIESV)Mental Health First Aid International’s useful guidelines and training programs, including onhow to provide an initial response to mental health crises.A video about trauma featuring psychiatrist, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of ‘The BodyKeeps The Score’.A video featuring a conversation between Resmaa Menakem, a psychotherapist specialisingin the effects of trauma on the human body and Dr. Gabor Maté, an expert on addiction,trauma, childhood development, and the relationship of stress and illness. We advocate for a mentee-centred approach to mentoring so thatmentees can come more fully into their power. Your mentee may comefrom contexts where there are obstacles and barriers to fully exercisingtheir power.In addition, it is crucial to have a trauma-informed approach tomentoring, because many mentees and mentors may come from andcurrently live in environments and contexts where trauma may haveshaped their lives in complex ways.It is important to keep both your mentee and yourself as safe aspossible during the mentorship. Learning about different types oftrauma symptoms and preparing a Safety Plan are two actions that youcan do to help keep yourself and your mentee as safe as possible. You and your menteeRECAP

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48A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipCross-Cultural MentoringWhat I liked most about my mentor was their impactful listeningand understanding of cultural similarities and differences.We match mentors and mentees across diverse cultural backgrounds. Our intention is to fostertransnational solidarity through collaborative, intergenerational, intragenerational, and intersectional,human-to-human connections. Of course, doing so comes with many sensitive considerations. For example, many of our mentees come from Southeast Asia and South Asia, which has its ownhistories of having been shaped by colonialism for centuries, but also wars and ongoing tensionsbetween the now independent nations. In addition, some mentees are stateless within countries thatdo not afford them citizenship, let alone rights. Another layer of complexity may be involved, when we match mentees living in the Global South,with mentors who are diaspora living in the Global North. With such pairings, it is crucial to be awareof potentially Westernized worldviews, which may not be as relevant for a mentee living in a GlobalSouth context. WHAT DO WE MEAN BY ‘CULTURE’?’?When we say ‘culture’, this can encompass many different parts of an individual’sworldview and experience. The image of The Cultural Iceberg, inspired by Hall (1976), is just one example of a visualway to start thinking about ‘culture’. The part that is above water contains examples of big‘C’, ‘Culture’, such as Language, Food and Dress. The part that is below water containsexamples of small ‘c’, ‘culture’, such as work ethic, biases, gender roles.

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49A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipFigure 4.2Image from Upton JZ (2020).Image Description: An icebergfloating in water. The parts abovethe water are marked as ‘Easy tosee’. The parts below the water aremarked ‘Difficult to see’. PATRIARCHY AS A FORM OF CULTUREPatriarchy is also a cultural system ingrained in societal structures, perpetuating maledominance and reinforcing gender roles, especially along gender binary lines. Patriarchal culture shapes norms, values, and behaviors, influencing interpersonalrelationships, institutions, and expectations. This cultural framework assigns authority tomen while often subordinating women, impacting family, work, and political spheres. Patriarchy as a culture manifests through language, rituals, and social norms, solidifying itspresence in daily life.

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50Maryam is a 36-year-old Afghani woman who was matched with Dian, a 45-year-old Indonesianwoman. Over more than 15 years, Dian had forged a career as one of the few female partners at aninternational consulting firm. To do this, she had to learn to conform to the male-dominated cultureof her firm.During one of their mentoring sessions, Maryam brought up a work-related challenge that shewanted to discuss with Dian. Upon describing the bullying behaviour of her direct line manager,Maryam started to cry.At this point, Dian said curtly, ‘Crying won’t get you anywhere. It will only make you a soft target forbullies.’ Maryam was so startled by this response that she abruptly stopped crying. She left the callfeeling full of shame for her emotional responses.A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipPatriarchal beliefsheld by womenCASE STUDYWhat kind of beliefs about emotions and crying do you think Dian holds?How was Dian’s response an example of patriarchal culture showing up in a mentorship?Why does it matter to be aware of the patriarchal beliefs that we may hold?

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51One of the common myths of patriarchal culture is that showing certain emotions (including throughcrying) makes us weak. This can lead to instances of shaming people for simply feeling andexpressing emotions. This shaming can affect men, women as well as people of all genders.As a mentor, it is important to be aware of the patriarchal beliefs we may have internalised. We needto resist such beliefs actively and consciously, to be in solidarity with our mentees. Otherwise, werisk passing on patriarchal beliefs to the next generation of women leaders.A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHow might you challenge patriarchal culture, as a mentor? DISABILITY AND NEURODIVERSITY AS CULTURES In a predominantly non-Disabled and neurotypical world, ‘Disability’ as a culturalexpression and cultural group, can often be ignored.Disability as a culture refers to the shared experiences, identity, and community formed byindividuals with disabilities. In addition, neurodiverse people, such as those with autism,ADHD, or dyslexia, can have their own distinct culture characterized by uniquecommunication styles, social norms, and perspectives.Understanding experiences of Disability through a cultural lens acknowledges the longhistory of advocacy and culture-making led by Disabled individuals and communities.It also requires us to learn about different models of disability.

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52A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipThe more dominant models of disability include:The medical model of disability views disability primarily as a physical or mentalimpairment that requires medical intervention.The charity model of disability sees disability as a tragedy, and disabled people as victimswho need to be pitied and rescued.The religious model views disability as a punishment inflicted upon the individual or familyby an external force. These models do not recognise the agency and creativity of Disabled individuals and communities asan integral part of human diversity, enriching society with different perspectives and contributions.VIDEO RESOURCELearn about the medical model of disability, the charitable model,the social model and the human rights model of disability. Watch this video by the Disability Advocacy Resource UnitTOPTIP!Do your own research about the realitiesfacing people with disability in your mentee’s context.

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53A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipFriction from differences in cultural normsFriction within the mentoring relationship can come from differences in cultural norms. For example,different cultures have different expectations around what is considered ‘timely’ or ‘punctual’. In some cultures, it may be entirely acceptable for someone to come half an hour or even hours ‘late’to a meeting, because their conception of time is not based on capitalist, 24-hour conceptions of time.In other words, what is considered ‘late’ is culturally specific.In certain rural settings, meeting times may be treated more flexibly because there are other morepressing obligations to meet, such as the need to harvest during certain seasons.Of course, this can pose practical challenges when trying to match mentors and mentees’ availabilityacross time zones and people’s busy lives. So, it is important to have a conversation early on in thementoring relationship around your expectations around time.What other differences in cultural norms may cause friction in a mentorship? Cultural x Political x Historical tensionsMentors also need to be aware of intra- and inter-regional tensions that may be the result of decadeslong or more political tensions.For example, The Partition of India in 1947 continues to manifest in modern-day tensions betweenIndia and Pakistan. Inter-ethnic and inter-religious tensions may also be present within the onecountry. For example, between the predominantly Muslim Rohingya and the more dominant Buddhistpopulations of Myanmar.These intra- and inter-regional tensions may shape a mentor and mentee’s beliefs and assumptionsabout specific nationalities, ethnic and religious groups. How might a mentor and mentee navigate differencesin nationalities, ethnicities and religions respectfully?

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54A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipTOPTIP!Ask your mentee if they would be willing to have aconversation in response to the above question, i.e. ‘Howmight we navigate the differences in our nationalities,ethnicities and religions respectfully?’Cross-cultural considerations including Indigenous worldviewsPeople who hail from Indigenous cultural backgrounds will have their own unique traditions,protocols and worldviews. As a mentor, it is important to take the time to learn about your mentee’scultural practices, if your mentee invites you to do so and/or is open to you doing so.A note of caution - some Indigenous cultural groups may be ‘overly studied’ and ‘objectified.Anthropology as a discipline that has concerned itself the most with ‘studying’ Indigenous peoples,has its roots deep in colonialism and colonial practices. Unfortunately, this can be reflected in theliterature available on certain Indigenous groups.Wherever possible, try to learn from resources that were created by and led by Indigenous scholarsand knowledge makers themselves.TOPTIP!Be open to getting to know your mentee as a unique person, inaddition to doing your own research on their Indigenous traditions,protocols and worldviews.One consideration specific to Indigenous groups may be thecultural obligations and rituals that your mentee needs to fulfill. Thiswill look different for each cultural group.For example, there may be rituals that women need to carry out,which follow a different calendar to the Gregorian calendar. Theremay be leadership roles that only women of a certain caste or whohave completed certain initiation rituals, have the right to carry out. TOPTIP!Be open to learning about which cultural rituals your menteeneeds to participate in. Be flexible with your mentee if she needsto take some ‘time out’ of the mentorship to carry out these rituals.Additionally, engaging with a mentee that lives life to a differentrhythm compared to your own, may shine a light on the rhythm andpace of your own life. This may provide you with some interestingreflections on how you are living your life. Remain open to this!

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55A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipSolidarity with Indigenous peopleFinally, the extraction of resources from Indigenous lands, seas and rivers is ongoing. Thedispossession of Indigenous peoples from their lands, seas and rivers is something that continues tohappen at a global scale, including in the countries that the mentees come from.It is important to be aware of the intergenerational trauma that Indigenous people continue to besubjected to as a result of this and also to act in solidarity with the ongoing resistance by Indigenouspeople in the face of such systemic violence on their right to exist. TOPTIP!Be open to questioning your assumptions around life / workrhythm, balance and pace.In addition, Indigenous communities may have distinctcommunication styles that differ from mainstream Western norms.Some individuals may prefer indirect communication or storytellingas a means of conveying information.It's important to listen actively, and be open to alternative ways ofexpressing thoughts and ideas. Non-verbal cues and bodylanguage may also play a significant role, so paying attention tothese aspects can enhance communication.RESOURCESAliansi Masyarakat Adat Nusantara (AMAN) - IndonesiaThe International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA) is a global human rightsorganisation dedicated to promoting and defending Indigenous Peoples’rights.https://iwgia.org/en/Epistemologies of the South: Justice Against Epistemicide by Boaventura de Sousa Santos(2014) explores how colonialism attempted to destroy Indigenous ways of knowing in theGlobal South and continue to be present as ‘coloniality’ in our present-day lives.Center of Study and Investigation for Decolonial Dialogues.

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56Kiran is a 24 year old woman from India who was matched with Salvi as her mentor, a 30 year old man ofItalian background from the United Kingdom.Unfortunately, during their mentorship, there were a few instances when Kiran felt that she was beinglooked down upon. Salvi once mentioned that he is ‘very direct’ and asked Kiran to ‘not get offended’,because in his view, ‘people from South Asia can get offended very easily’. He then continued to say, ‘Iam sharing my views in this way for your own best interest.’ And also added, ‘Besides, women feel morethan men do, so I thought I’d be this direct, in case your feelings get in the way of our conversation.’After a few interactions like this, Kiran asked to be rematched with another mentor- one who was moresensitive and thoughtful about differences in cultural background and gender.A Reflective Guide on Transformative Mentorship‘Culture’-basedassumptions in MentoringCASE STUDYHow is Salvi’s positionality showing up in this mentoring relationship?Content Warning: This case study discusses racist and sexist assumptions.How might assumptions about ‘culture’ be shaping the dynamic between Kiran and Salvi?(You may want to refer back to the section on positionality.)

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Which forms of power do you think Salvi was exercising in this situation?Power OverPower WithPower ToPower Within57A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWhat do you think the impact has been of Salvi’s behaviour and words, on Kiran?TOPTIPS!Sometimes, the word ‘culture’ can be used to mask prejudicedassumptions that are actually based on someone’s perceived ‘race’.DON’T assume cultural superiority. This is where a personunconsciously assumes that Western practices or approaches areinherently superior to practices in the Global South.DON’T impose Western norms and values without considering thecultural nuances of your mentee. DON’T tokenise or exoticise the cultural differences of your mentee.

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58A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipEmbracing Opportunities in Cross Cultural Mentoring Whilst there may be challenges that come with cultural differences, there are also manyopportunities for mutual learning and growth. One of the reasons why we match mentors and mentees cross-culturally and globally is to expandmentors and mentees’ worldviews. Sometimes, something can be so normalized in your culture thatyou are not aware of it, let alone question it. In some cases, your cultural norm is something to be proud of, and something that you can draw onto give roots to your life, or strength and guidance during challenging times. Other times, your cultural norms may not actually be serving you that well, and you have never hadthe opportunity to examine this particular ‘cultural norm’ before. Mentoring cross-culturally can provide you and your mentee the opportunity to critically examineyour own cultures. You can hold a mirror up to one another’s cultures. Ideally, the mentorship can be a container for both the mentor and mentee to explore questions andreflections outside of your own cultural contexts, norms and assumptions. TOPTIP!Active listening will serve you well as you explore your andyour mentee’s cultural backgrounds.In addition to expanding worldviews, what are some other opportunities for mutuallearning and growth that can come from cross-cultural mentoring? ‘There was more than two decades of age difference between us and we came fromdifferent countries. It was easier to relate by focusing on shared commonalities. Wetalked about our families, festivals and cultural things that were common acrossboth countries, even if they were not exactly the same.’

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59A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipValues as a way into Cross-Cultural Mentoring Earlier in this reflective tool, we asked you to identify your core values.By being aware of your own core values as a mentor, our hope is that you can hold with grace anycontradictions between your core values and those of your mentee.Additionally, our hope is that you as a mentor, will be able to hold space for your mentee, shouldany of their values contradict one another’s.A mentor that comes from a more individualized society may advise their mentee, ‘You need toprioritize yourself.’ But this assumes an ability to prioritize the individual over the collective. As a mentor, how can you make space for your mentee, through non-judgmental listening, as theygrapple with the conflict between what they want and what their parents / caregivers want? Is thecore value of ‘filial piety’ able to sit alongside other values? How can you support your mentee to sitwith at times contradictory values? How can you support your mentee to make decisions that alignwith their at times contradictory values? Part of the worldview-expanding experience that we want mentors and mentees to have comesfrom practising making space for contradictory worldviews. Sometimes, it is through contradictionsthat we gain deeper insights into ourselves and one another.A lot of trust building happens through non-verbal cues. So, I try tolisten in an active way. I try to be completely open and non-judgmental,wishing the best for the mentee and for myself in the process.’For example, for many mentees from Asia, the core value of ‘filial piety’ is a common one. This mayinvolve deferring decisions to your Elders and honouring your Elders. At times, this core value of ‘filialpiety’ may come into conflict with other values that your mentee holds.For example, when making a career choice, your mentee may want to choose X discipline, whilst theirparents / caregivers may want them to do Y instead. Filial piety may be one of the reasons why menteescan find it much more difficult to ‘break’ from what their family wants from them, compared to menteesthat live in a more individualized society.

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60A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipMatching mentors and mentees across diverse cultural backgroundscome with many sensitive considerations. When working with a menteewho hails from a very different cultural background to your own, it iscrucial to be aware of your positionality. When we say ‘culture’, this can encompass many different parts ofan individual’s worldview and experience. Patriarchy is a form ofculture. Disability-led communities and Neurodiverse communities willalso have their own cultural practices. People who hail from Indigenouscultural backgrounds will have their own unique traditions, protocolsand worldviews. As a mentor, it is important to take the time to learn about yourmentee’s cultural practices, if your mentee invites you to do so and/oris open to you doing so. When it comes to Indigenous resources,wherever possible, try to learn from resources that were created byand led by Indigenous scholars and knowledge makers themselves. Cross-cultural mentoringRECAP

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62A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipDesigning and Redesigning your mentorship You and your mentee will be co-designing and co-creating your mentorship together.Prior to your first meeting, ask for any information that you would like from the mentee.For example, do you want to read their CV / bio ahead of the meeting?Here are some guiding questions for you to consider at the start, middle and end of yourmentorship, to keep centring your mentee’s needs in this relationship. Guiding questions for the start MENTORSHIP ACTIVITYWhy are you in this mentoring program?What’s important for me to know about your life right now? e.g. Do they live in a conflictzone? Does this mean we need a contingency plan in case there are obstacles tocommunication?What is affecting you in your leadership journey?What other mentors do you have? What expectations do you have of me as your mentor? How do you want these meetings to be conducted? Who sets the agenda? Who facilitates? Will there be questions sent in advance? TOPTIP!It may help your mentee if you tell them what skills, networks andexperiences you can bring into the mentorship. Have a few of theseready to share with your mentee during your first session.

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63A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipGuiding questions for the middle Approximately 2-4 months into your mentorship,ask for a ‘check-in’ session with your mentee.Do you feel like you are making progress on what you want to do in this mentorship?Does anything need to change in our sessions to better meet your needs?Is there anything else that you think is important for me to know, at this stage in our mentorship? TOPTIP!There may be sessions where you and your mentee had a certaintopic planned, but then something happens and it seems like yourmentee’s priorities have changed. In such cases, it’s okay to ask, ‘Itsounds like this is important to you. Is this what you want to focuson during this session?’ Guiding questions for the end We deeply care about how power is shared between a mentor and a mentee. Assuch, we believe that feedback should be a two-way process. We recommendasking your mentee for feedback about their experience of the mentorship. Hereare some guiding questions that you may wish to ask / adapt.As our mentorship comes to a close, I'd love to hear your overall thoughtsand reflections on our time together. What aspects of our mentoringrelationship do you think worked well, and are there areas where you think Icould improve as a mentor?Can you share specific examples of how our mentorship has influenced yourprofessional or personal development? Were there particular moments orpieces of advice that stood out, positively or negatively, in shaping yourgrowth during our time together?When did you feel the most supported by me as your mentor?

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64A Reflective Guide on Transformative Mentorship‘It can be overwhelming for the mentee to schedule a session withsomeone we don’t know at all, in a different country and time zone.It can be very scary!’ Here are some Do’s and Don’ts for your first mentoring session:DO’S DONT’SAsk what your mentee’s expectations / goals/ needs are from the mentoring relationship.Don’t impose your own agenda on thementoring relationship. Get to know your mentee’s Why.Don’t perpetuate the ‘Saviour Complex’,where you view your involvement as crucialin the development and indeed, survival, ofyour mentee. Be flexible with when / if / how you use theWedu curriculum.Don’t forget that you have your own resourcesthat you can introduce to your mentee.Set clear expectations around when you wantto schedule meetings and how long for. Don’t be too rigid with time expectations,especially if unexpected things happen foryour mentee.Active listening - Show that you care and areempathetic towards your mentee. Don’t interrupt or talk over your mentee. Honour the time commitment required forthis mentoring relationship. Don’t cancel on your mentee last minute. Be aware of some key things about yourmentee’s context. Don’t make assumptions about your menteebased on stereotypes. Be aware of your preferred mentoring styleand negotiate what is appropriate to meetyour mentee’s needs.Don’t force your mentee into a way of being /relating that they don’t want to be in.You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

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65A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipTOPTIP!It is not up to your mentee to educate you about the broadersocial, political, economic, and cultural context they live in.However, there are key questions you can ask to betterunderstand your mentee’s individual context, such as:What’s important for me to know about your life right now?What is affecting you in your leadership journey? (This ishow you may learn about cultural, political, family, climate,and other environmental factors affecting them.) RESOURCEMentorship pairs can greatly benefit from utilizing various goal tracker templates tomonitor and evaluate the progress of mentee goals. The GROW (Grow - Reality -Options - Way Forward) framework may be useful in articulating and then keepingtrack of your mentee’s goals. We recommend completing the ‘Goals’ and ‘Reality’ parts of this framework in yourfirst and second meetings. Then, schedule a check-in about your mentee’s goalshalfway through your mentorship. And finally, revisit this document at the very endof your mentorship.Common challenges and their remedies Despite the best intentions and investment from both yourself and your mentee,you may still come up against challenges! These are the common challenges that we have found: Scheduling challenges1. A mismatch between expectations2. Communication challenges3. Unanticipated events 4.We touch on each one and suggest remedies for each challenge.

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66A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipCommon Challenge 1: Scheduling challengesREMEDY: Discuss and agree on when and how often you will meet, during your first mentoringsession. If any unexpected changes occur, it is also important that you communicate this with eachother and reschedule as soon as possible. Effective mentor / mentee pairings are able to find the ideal day and time to meet regularly. Theythen commit to the scheduled day and time, for the duration of the mentorship.We had a 12-hour time difference. Because of this, we decided to meet on weekends andfound a time when neither of us was rushing from / to work. With my previous mentee,communication was an issue. Whereas with my current mentee, even though she hadthings happening, she still stayed in touch. When people are invested, they find a way.‘I was unable to speak with my mentor due to her constant unavailability. Thementorship programme was not a priority for her. I want to be paired with someonewho can commit to taking time out for this mentorship and to make the most of it.Common Challenge 2: A mismatch between expectationsSometimes, the mentor and mentee may have different expectations of why they are in thementorship, what they want to get out of it and how they can achieve this. REMEDY: Align expectations during your first mentoring session. Refer to this Do’s and Don’ts list.It was not clear to me what my mentee wanted to get out of the mentoring.I sat in several sessions that were not going anywhere. I had no idea whereshe wanted to go. She kept rescheduling sessions and eventually I opted out.Common Challenge 3: CommunicationAnother common challenge is communication. Internet connectivity may be an issue. Languagebarriers may be another one. You and your mentee may have very different accents and this canalso pose a challenge in understanding each other.She makes me feel comfortable to reach out and text her when I need supportor advice or just someone who I can share my success and great news with.

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67A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipHere are some remedies for effective communication: Avoid jargon and buzzwords.Do not assume that your mentee’s level of English is the same as yours.That being said, do not assume that their level of English is necessarilylower than yours, either!If unsure, ask your mentee to explain what they understood from yourconversationSimilarly, if you're uncertain about your own understanding, repeat whatyou understood to your mentee.Be willing to express your ideas or ask questions using different wordingto reach mutual understanding. RESOURCESFor accessible communication: the Hemingway App is a useful tool to gaugewhat Grade of English you are using in how you communicate.For free and AI assisted translation: Deepl provides accurate and nuancedtranslation in over 30 languages. Common Challenge 4: Unanticipated events Sometimes, entirely unexpected events may derail the focus of your mentorship. This may rangefrom events at the individual level, such as the death of a loved one and/or large scale events, suchas a major natural disaster or a significant change in your or your mentee’s political / social /economic context.REMEDY: In such times, we recommend revisiting your initial agreement with your mentee. Discusswhether your mentee’s previous expectations, intentions, goals and needs are still relevant, orwhether the focus of the mentorship needs to shift in response to recent events.

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68Sita is a 32 year old woman from India, who is currently mentoring Balwant, a 22 year old nonbinary personfrom Bangladesh. Balwant uses they / them pronouns. Balwant’s goal for the mentorship was to improve theirprofessional networks, in order to access more senior leadership roles.As Balwant’s mentor, Sita assisted Balwant to develop their LinkedIn profile and introduced them to some ofher connections. Sita also facilitated role plays with Balwant, to help Balwant solve some of the challengesthey were encountering with their supervisor at work. Sita even prepared mock interview scenarios for thetypes of senior leadership roles that Balwant was aiming for.Unfortunately, only 2-months into the mentorship, Balwant’s parents became severely ill and their motherhad to undergo emergency surgery. Then Balwant’s family home was seriously damaged during a majorcyclone in Bangladesh.When they were able to reconnect again, Balwant was unable to think beyond their plans for the next 24-hours. Sita took into account both recent family as well as major events that had affected Balwant’s life. Shesuggested that they paused the focus on Balwant’s professional goals for now, but that they should continueto meet, so that Sita could be there to listen to Balwant more as a supportive friend or sibling.Through tears in their eyes, Balwant agreed. They felt glad that there was someone supportive they couldtalk to, whilst living through some of the most challenging times in their life. A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipDifferent rolesof a mentorCASE STUDYWhat were the different roles that Sita was able to play for Balwant in the above situation? Content Warning: This case study discusses experiences of illness in the family and a major climate related disaster.How did Sita model a mentee-centred approach to mentoring?

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69A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipWe recommend that you, as the mentor, stay open to responding to a mentee’s changing needs.As such, you may find that you play different ‘roles’ for your mentee, throughout your mentoringjourney.Some of the common roles that mentors can play for their mentees, include: A supportive friend: Creating a safe space and providing a sounding board for your mentee.A career counsellor: Helping your mentee to reach their professional goals. An accountability partner: Holding your mentees accountable to their stated goals. A connector: Introducing your mentee to new people, opportunities and resources.Equally, it is important to name which roles fall outside of the scope of mentorship: Therapist: It is outside of the scope of mentorship for you to be your mentee’s therapist, evenif you are a trained and licensed Mental Health professional. (Refer to the section on TraumaInformed mentoring, for the risks that this poses on you as a mentor.)Financial and/or legal adviser: It is outside of the scope of mentorship for you to be yourmentee’s financial and/or legal adviser, even if you are licensed to provide such advice.Employer: If you are going to employ your mentee, you need to end the mentoring relationshipformally, prior to doing so. Becoming your mentee’s employer could create an additional powerimbalance and we recommend that you consult with Wedu before engaging in a newprofessional relationship.The roles above fall outside of the scope of Wedu’s mentorships, because Wedu’s mentorships arefocused on the leadership development of emerging women leaders and changemakers in Asia.TOPTIP!You can say no. Set clear boundaries about what is withinand what is outside of the scope of the mentorship, fromthe very start.

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70A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipYou and your mentee will be co-designing and co-creating yourmentorship together. Make use of the guiding questions we havesuggested above to check in with your mentee at the start,middle and end of the mentorship.In order to avoid some of the common challenges that canhappen with mentorship, we recommend that during your firstmentoring session, you discuss and agree on when and howoften you will meet.We also recommend that you align your expectations about whyyou are here and what you both want to get out of thementorship, as well as how you can achieve this.In order to communicate effectively with your mentee, be willingto express your ideas or ask questions using different wordingto reach mutual understanding.Finally, we recommend that you, as the mentor, stay open toresponding to a mentee’s changing needs.Setting up for success:Preparing for an effectivefirst mentoring sessionRECAP

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References71A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipAnderson RH and Smith DG (7 August 2019) ‘What Men Can Do to Be Better Mentors and Sponsorsto Women’, Harvard Business Review, accessed 1 February 2024. https://hbr.org/2019/08/what-men-can-do-to-be-better-mentors-and-sponsors-to-womenBig Think+ (23 November 2023) ‘How the body keeps the score on trauma | Bessel van der Kolk forBig Think+’ [video], BigThink+, YouTube website, accessed 30 December 2023.https://youtu.be/iTefkqYQz8g?feature=sharedBraman L (19 April 2023) ‘Burnout and Vicarious Trauma’ [Instagram post], Lindsay Braman,accessed 23 December 2023. https://www.instagram.com/p/CrL2IjYJdCQ/ Brave Heart-Jordan MYH (1995) The return to the sacred path: Healing from historical trauma andhistorical unresolved grief among the Lakota, ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, Michigan UnitedStates.Capacitar International (15 June 2015) ‘Capacitar International - Breath Work and Mindfulness’[video], Capacitar International, YouTube website, accessed 20 November 2023.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbydmT-bxLUCapacitar International (2022) Capacitar Emergency Kits of Best Practices, Capacitar Internationalwebsite, accessed 5 January 2024. https://capacitar.org/capacitar-emergency-kits-to-download/Christian L (2020) Defining Your List of Values and Beliefs (with 102 examples), Soul Salt website,accessed 16 November 2023. https://soulsalt.com/list-of-values-and-beliefs/Clear J (2020) List of Core Values, James Clear website, accessed 1 December 2023.https://jamesclear.com/core-valuesDerezotez DS (2014) Transforming Historical Trauma through Dialogue, Sage Publications, doi:10.4135/9781483387536.Disability Advocacy Resource Unit (25 May 2021) ‘Human Rights Model of Disability - Featuring Elliethe Equality Emu’ [video], Disability Advocacy Resource Unit, YouTube website, accessed 6 January2024. https://youtu.be/Jig5uNbN3xk?feature=sharedFoundation House (2024) The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture, Foundation Housewebsite, accessed 6 December 2023. https://foundationhouse.org.au/

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References72A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipGoodwill M (in collaboration with Kennisland) (2020) A Social Designer’s Field Guide to PowerLiteracy [MSc in Design for Interaction], Delft University of Technology, accessed 03 January 2024.https://www.swselfmanagement.ca/uploads/ResourceTools/Field%20Guide%20to%20Power%20Literacy.pdfHailey L (2023) Core Values List: The Only 216 Values You’ll Ever Need, Science of People website,accessed 1 December 2023. https://www.scienceofpeople.com/core-values/Hall ET (1976) Beyond Culture, Anchor Books, USA.Meldrum L (2022) ‘Sustainable Practice and Wellbeing NETFA Leadership Program Presented by:Lucy Meldrum Practice Leader – Practice & Development Learning 29 April 2022’ [online lecture],Foundation House: The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture Inc., Narrm (Melbourne,Australia).MHFA International (Mental Health First Aid International) (2024) Mental Health First Aid Guidelines,MHFA International website, accessed 18 January 2024. https://mhfainternational.org/guidelines/National Organization of Asians and Pacific Islanders Ending Sexual Violence (2015) Sexual ViolenceBackground, context and terms, NAPIESV website, accessed 03 January 2024.https://napiesv.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Sexual-Violence-Curriculum-2015-FINAL.pdfPreuss DH (2017) Powerful Questions - Resources, A Bigger Game website, accessed 15 December2023. https://abiggergame.today/powerfulquestions/Science and Nonduality (3 March 2023) ‘#24 Somatic Abolitionism: Resmaa Menakem & Gabor Maté’[video], Science and Nonduality, YouTube website, accessed 7 January 2024.https://youtu.be/5fzNZXpIDD4?feature=sharedTang A (2024) Power mapping and analysis, The Commons: Social Change Library website,accessed 21 March 2024.https://commonslibrary.org/guide-power-mapping-and-analysis/TEDxUMaryland (3 March 2015) ‘Mentors: through research, in practice, and on reality TV’ [video],TEDx Talks, YouTube website, accessed 13 November 2023. https://youtu.be/OkOhoUJhJV0?feature=sharedThe Australian Centre for Social Innovation (2021) ‘Creating Safe & Brave Spaces for You’ [printedPDF], The Australian Centre for Social Innovation, Kaurna Country (Adelaide, Australia).

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References73A Reflective Guide on Transformative MentorshipUnited Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner (2023) About internally displacedpersons: Special Rapporteur on the human rights of internally displaced persons, United Nationswebsite, accessed 3 November 2023. https://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-internally-displaced-persons/about-internally-displaced-personsUpton JZ (14-16 May 2020) ‘Multilingualism and Intercultural Competence’ [conferencepresentation], PanSIG 2021 Local and Global Perspectives: Plurilingualism and Multilingualism,Online, accessed 13 December 2023, ResearchGate database.VeneKlasen L & Miller V (2007) A New Weave of Power, People and Politics: The Action Guide forAdvocacy and Citizen Participation, Practical Action Publishing, Rugby United Kingdom.WHO (World Health Organization) (2023) 6B40 Post traumatic stress disorder, WHO ICD website,accessed 11 January 2024. https://icd.who.int/browse11/l-m/en#/http://id.who.int/icd/entity/2070699808

Wedu's Reflective Guide on Transformative Mentorship

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