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New Global Mentoring Program Targets Several SDGs

By Mary Kurek

We've recently launched a global youth mentoring program that impacts some key SDGs. As a publication editor, I was interviewing youth leaders from around the world for an edition of The Introducer Magazine on "Developing Youth as Global Citizens." The Introducer is an international, social-impact focused publication meant to stir up meaningful conversations and actions that expand impact of SDGs and SDG-related goals. While interviewing these young program leaders, I discovered that they all had one thing in common... they needed mentors. Many of the places they were working were lucky to have the program leaders, let alone a network of professionals from different industries that could coach, motivate, connect, and inspire their participants. Having co-founded two youth leadership programs with mentoring components, I knew the value of what they were missing. I shared this information with Dr. Osita Aniemeka of the International Center for Development Affairs in Nigeria. As it happened, Dr. Aniemeka said it had been a dream of his to develop a mentorship program that would reach around the globe. The idea was born, and over the next few weeks, we gathered mentors, talked with stakeholders, and started to build out this program together.

In the 3 months we took to develop the program, many approached us to offer job skills programs and training opportunities. We know now that mentoring may be just the first part of something bigger. And, we also know that the people most in need of mentors are often leaders themselves, working tirelessly and with little support to run a nonprofit with a huge mission of impact.

With the SDGs in mind, we believe the mentoring will most directly impact education (SDG 4) to start. However, the program will also work with Program Leaders who are empowering women and girls, serving SDG 5. One of our partners works with youth on climate action, supporting SDG 13. Collectively, what we are doing is helping to solidify sustainable progress in areas of the world that are in serious need. It is going to take a huge village, and our village is called World Hope Youth Mentors.

World Hope Youth Mentors (WHY Mentors) officially launched a pilot in October of 2019 with 23 mentees from 5 countries (3 in Africa), and mentors from 7 countries. In starting this, we learned a few things that could be useful to others who may be planning something similar:

  1. The word “youth” doesn’t accurately define our target market. Our participants range from 18 to 45, because so many of our mentees are starting over, program leaders and volunteers, and refugees who never got the chance to get the education they deserved.
  2. Internet access is extremely challenging in many areas, so we've requested extreme patience from all parties in finding the best way to communicate.
  3. Having partners who can help co-manage on location is critical. Our Program Leaders recruit mentees and help us manage and track progress. All of the Program Leaders want to eventually become mentees, as well – they needed nonprofit management advice.
  4. All of the programs are looking for funding. Within the first week of this program, a mentor/mentee match has resulted in a mentor offering to help raise funds for a mentee project. We've been blessed to have the right network to pull something like this together.

All of the mentors are members of The Frontrunners League of Social Impact Innovation. They have been featured in the pages of The Introducer magazine as game changers and support the magazine's mission to expand impact. They are NGO leaders, innovators in health, education, finance, and technology. They have the skills that our mentees need – problem solving, critical thinking, creativity to innovate, fundraising, entrepreneurship, tech, and soft skills. And, they all are connectors with broad networks. As a mentor pool…this is as good as it gets.

We are partnering with the global nonprofit Living Learning and Working, Inc. to provide our “house,” the Gooddler Foundation, to open the door to amazing learning and networking events in places like Silicon Valley, The Sub-Saharan Open University (Nigeria) for coordination support in Africa, and the developers of PlatForum (our organization portal). We're getting some pretty awesome endorsements, too, from the Traditional Prime Minister, Ngor Autonomous Community, Ngor Okpala LGA Imo State, Nigeria and Ambassador Rubina Ali, High Commissioner – Asia / Africa – UN SDG's – World Humanity Commission Ambassador in Residence ( Pakistan). Our ultimate goal is to give an advantage to young people around the globe who truly need help in developing a decent livelihood, thereby helping them to become a critical component to sustainable economic development in their own community.

Mary Kurek is the President and CEO of Frontrunners Development, Inc. (FDI), a social enterprise centered on developing business opportunities for impact-focused innovators, NGOs, government, and corps. FDI publishes The Introducer Magazine, the 1st international facilitated business networking magazine focused on social impact. Additionally, FDI operates the Frontrunners League of Social Impact Innovation, the companion network to the magazine. More info at www.frontrunnersleague.com or via email at mary [at] marykurek.com .