wise seattle mentorship program: WISE WIthin

“I think the overall experience and opportunity to connect with people I didn't know / may have never had a way of meeting in normal life and getting their insights and life knowledge. It was really nice to be able to get the opinion of someone who has experienced the same things you are grappling with and even if they haven't they were always willing to listen and help how they could.” 

“WISE did such a good job pairing me with my mentee. I was so pleased to get matched up with someone who has characteristics I look for when hiring interns or employees. It just made the process more organic and easier to suggest advice. I feel I benefited from my mentee by learning more about D&I and how other companies operate vs. what I know of (i.e. it made it easier to understand where the gaps were and how we could implement changes to what she was looking for in the work place.) It also instilled in me more confidence of my work experiences and that they can be successful not just for me but for others.”

“My favorite part of the program is hands down the resulting relationships I've made, particularly with Dawn. We were able to connect as mentor/mentee so naturally and I see that continuing on as a strong relationship throughout our lives. I also think having the smaller group and opportunities to connect with the other mentors and mentees created great natural starting points for ongoing relationships as well.”

"Jen was the voice I needed to hear when I had a frustrating interaction with a teammate for an event, a client, or an organization.  Having her as a sounding board always helped me feel better and she coached me through several big decisions. I’d love to thank the WISE Seattle mentorship team for organizing an amazing inaugural WISE Within class of mentors and mentees. Their attention to detail and the pairings was astounding and I can’t thank them enough for their time and energy during this challenging year."

• Six-month duration, from May to November.
• Three facilitated group sessions.
• Monthly one-to-one meetings in person (at minimum), and ideally a second meeting in person or by phone.
• Attend compulsory kick-off and closure events. Mentors and Mentees are strongly encouraged to attend the mid-point retreat event as well.
• Exclusive online content and program materials.

• Participants accept and agree to the terms set forth by the program agreement.
• Participants enter into a one-to-one mentoring relationship.
• Mentees will create a short-term individual growth plan, focusing on 1 specific skill they would like to develop, and can reasonably do so within the 6 months of the program. 
• Mentors will help mentees create an action plan to achieve measurable results in regards to the skill they choose to improve. 
• Participants attend a series of facilitated, onsite group sessions that are integral elements of the program. These sessions allow for dialogue among the group, giving participants the opportunity to develop additional professional connections, address career issues, discuss challenges and solutions, and share perspectives.

• Mentoring is a mentee-driven, mentor-guided process.
• Mentoring is a two-way, active learning exchange.
• Confidentiality is essential to the success of the partnership.
• Goals, roles, expectations and time frames are clearly defined at the onset.
• Mentoring creates an environment of mutual support and sharing among professionals.
• Mentoring is a reciprocal relationship.
• Success depends on your level of commitment to the program and to your mentoring partner.