IWW Mentoring

Connect Learn Grow

The Inspiring Women Mentoring Peer Directory is an informal mentoring initiative connecting directly colleagues from across the University to share experiences, build confidence and support personal and professional development.

Through meaningful mentoring relationships, participants have the opportunity to learn from one another, gain new perspectives and develop valuable connections within the Warwick community.

Whether you are seeking support as a mentee or looking to share your experience as a mentor, we welcome colleagues at all career stages to get involved.

What is mentoring

Mentoring can help you:

Build confidence and self-awareness
Explore career aspirations and opportunities
Develop new skills and perspectives
Strengthen professional networks
Learn from the experiences of others
Support the development of colleagues

Mentoring is not about providing all the answers. Instead, it creates a space for listening, sharing experiences and encouraging personal and professional growth.

Becoming a mentee

You might be looking to:

Explore your career options
Develop confidence in your role
Build leadership skills
Navigate change or new opportunities
Expand your network across the University

The mentoring relationship is driven by your goals and aspirations, helping you reflect, learn and take positive action.

Looking for a mentor? Browse our Mentor Directory to explore the profiles of our Inspiring Women volunteer mentors. When you've found someone you'd like to connect with, simply contact them directly to check their availability.

Mentor Directory

Becoming a mentor

Mentoring is a rewarding opportunity to support a colleague's development while enhancing your own skills and experience.

As a mentor, you can:

Share your knowledge and insights
Support and encourage others
Develop coaching and listening skills
Gain fresh perspectives
Build meaningful connections across the University

You do not need to have all the answers. Effective mentors create a supportive environment where mentees can reflect, explore options and develop confidence.

If you would like to volunteer as a mentor, you can simply add your name and fill in your details in the Mentor Directory.

Mentor Directory

Mentoring vs Coaching

Mentoring is a developmental relationship in which a more experienced colleague supports another person through sharing insights, asking questions, providing encouragement and helping them reflect on their goals and aspirations. Unlike coaching, which is often focused on achieving a specific outcome, mentoring takes a broader, long-term view of personal and professional growth. It provides a confidential space to explore opportunities, challenges and ambitions while learning from the experiences of others.

Successful mentoring

Chemistry session

The first meeting is often referred to as a chemistry session. Its purpose is not to solve problems or set ambitious goals straight away, but to get to know one another, establish trust and decide how you would like to work together.

By the end of a successful first session, both mentor and mentee should:

Feel comfortable talking openly with one another.
Understand each other's background, experiences and motivations.
Agree on the purpose of the mentoring relationship.
Discuss expectations and boundaries.
Decide how and when they will meet.
Leave with a clear understanding of the next steps.

Remember, mentoring is a partnership. Both mentor and mentee play an active role in building a productive and supportive relationship.

Mentoring Agreement

During your first meeting, it can be helpful to agree a simple mentoring contract. This does not need to be formal, but should cover the following areas:

Meeting Arrangements

Discuss and agree:

How often you will meet (for example, monthly or every six weeks).
How long meetings will last.
Whether meetings will take place in person, online or a combination of both.
How you will communicate between sessions.

Confidentiality

A successful mentoring relationship relies on trust.

Consider discussing:

What information will remain confidential.
Any situations where confidentiality may need to be broken (for example, safeguarding concerns or risks to wellbeing).
How personal information will be handled and shared.

Scope and Boundaries

Clarify what mentoring can and cannot offer.

Mentoring can help with:

Career development.
Confidence building.
Professional challenges.
Goal setting.
Exploring opportunities and options.
Personal reflection and growth.

Mentoring is not:

Performance management.
Counselling or therapy.
A route to promotion.
A guaranteed solution to workplace issues.

Managing Expectations

Be open about what each person hopes to gain from the relationship.

Questions to discuss might include:

What does success look like for the mentee?
What experience or perspective can the mentor offer?
What level of commitment can each person realistically make?
What do both parties need from each other for the relationship to be successful?

Checklist

At the end of the first session, make sure you:

✅ Agree whether you would like to continue the mentoring relationship.
✅ Schedule your next meeting.
✅ Clarify any actions for either person.
✅ Confirm how you will stay in touch.
✅ Reflect on what you learned about each other.

The most successful mentoring relationships start with strong foundations of trust, openness and shared expectations. Taking time to establish these in the first meeting will help create a positive and rewarding experience for both mentor and mentee.