Internal Guide for Mentoring Team

The R-Ladies Mentoring Program was created to support chapter organizers around the world in strengthening, reactivating, or launching their local communities.

Through mentorship, experienced organizers (mentors) share knowledge, advice, and encouragement with new or less experienced organizers (mentees). The program aims to foster sustainable chapters, promote collaboration across regions, and ensure that R-Ladies remains an inclusive, supportive global network.

This document serves as an internal guide for the mentoring team. It provides the key tools, workflows, and templates needed to coordinate the program effectively. Its purpose is to ensure consistency, clarity, and smooth communication among team members while managing mentor–mentee matches, monitoring progress, and collecting feedback.

1. Team Contacts

  • Global Team: info@rladies.org
  • Leadership: leadership@rladies.org
  • Chapter onboarding: chapters@rladies.org
  • CoC enforcement: reporting@rladies.org
  • Finance: finance@rladies.org

3. Key Tools & Resources

Airtable

🔗 Airtable

  • Access: User accounts@rladies.org (password and verification code stored in the 1Password Vault).
  • Purpose: Central database for the program.
    • Application Form: form used for applications from R-Ladies offering their time as mentors or seeking mentorship.
    • Feedback Form: form used to gather participants’ reflections and assess the program’s impact.
    • Application Form responses (“Interest” tab): records of applications submitted.
    • Feedback Form responses (“Feedback” tab): records of feedback submitted by participants.
  • Additional info: Airtable Mentoring Guide

Slack Channel

  • #team-mentoring
  • Purpose: Coordination among mentoring team members.

Mentoring Google Account

📧 mentoring@rladies.org

  • Access: Password and verification code available in the 1Password Vault.
  • Purpose: Shared account for communication, scheduling, and document management.

Forms

GitHub Repo

This repo contains:

  • Guidelines for mentees and mentors: practical documents with tips, expectations, and resources to make the most of the program.
  • Email templates: ready-to-use messages for each step of the mentoring workflow (from introductions to follow-ups and feedback).
  • Media templates: ready-to-use messages for calling for new mentors and others.

4. Who Can Participate

Who can be a mentor?

Any experienced R-Ladies organizer can volunteer as a mentor, provided they have the time and willingness to commit. If additional mentors are needed, a call for volunteers will be shared in the organizers’ Slack channel.

Who can be a mentee?

  1. Organizers from new chapters

    • When a new chapter is launched, participation in the mentoring program will be offered as part of onboarding.

  2. Organizers from inactive chapters

    • Chapters that have not hosted events in the past 6 months are considered inactive.
    • Before a chapter is retired, organizers will be invited to join the program as mentees to help reactivate their local community.

  3. Any organizer seeking support

    • All R-Ladies organizers are welcome to apply if they believe the program could benefit their chapter.
    • Example: new organizers stepping into leadership of an already active chapter.

5. Matching Mentors and Mentees

  • Matching: New mentees are paired with available mentors based on the preferences and needs indicated in the application form.
  • Communication: Pairs are first introduced by email. From there, the mentor and mentee decide together which communication channel works best for them (e.g., Slack, Zoom, email) and how often they would like to connect.

6. Duration of the Mentoring Program ⏱️

  • Mentors receive a checklist of suggested topics to cover.
  • The list is not exhaustive; each case should be addressed with flexibility.
  • The program is considered completed when:
    • The checklist is covered and concerns have been addressed, OR
    • The first successful meetup takes place, OR
    • The chapter is retired.

7. Follow-up & Feedback

  • The mentoring team conducts periodic check-ins with both mentor and mentee to ensure progress and provide support.
  • After the program ends, a Feedback Form is sent to both participants to gather impressions and suggestions.

8. Workflow Overview

The workflow begins when a new application form is submitted. Once completed, an automatic notification is sent to the Slack channel #team-mentoring. From that point, the mentoring team follows these steps:

  1. Check application form

    • Review the new submission in Airtable.
    • Confirm the applicant is a current or prospective R-Ladies organizer.

  2. Verify chapter and interest

    • Ensure the applicant belongs to an existing or inactive chapter.
    • Confirm whether they apply as a mentee (seeking support) or as a mentor (offering expertise).

  3. Contact mentee → Contact mentor

    • Reach out to the mentee first to confirm availability and interest.
    • Then contact a suitable mentor to check availability.

  4. Match mentor/mentee

    • Pair based on availability, experience, and language/cultural considerations.
    • Record the match in Airtable.

  5. Onboard both with guidelines

    • Introduce mentor and mentee by email.
    • Share program guidelines, Code of Conduct, and expectations (frequency, platform, confidentiality).

  6. Monitor progress and follow-ups

    • Conduct regular check-ins (monthly or as agreed).
    • Address communication issues, and reassign pairs if necessary.