A mentor can be a valuable guide and sounding board when looking for direction in your career or business. This is the understanding of a group of successful and inspiring South African women who have volunteered to take young South African emerging leaders under their wings as their mentees during the annual Global Women’s Day Mentoring Walk. The event takes place in celebration on International Women’s Day and is organised by The Passionate Professional – a leadership Incubator founded by Hema Vallabh, an alumna of the Fortune Global Women’s Mentoring Exchange Program.
The Mentoring Walk, which takes place on 5 March 2016 at Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia brings entrepreneur’s, business executives and all round inspiring women leaders together with young aspiring leaders in an informal walk in the park that allows the paired mentor and mentee to get to know each other while they discuss their professional challenges and successes to establish a mentoring relationship, where the established leader guides, advises and supports the emerging leader.
The Mentoring Walk is a global initiative spear-headed by – Vital Voices, a global nonprofit-organization focused on investing in women to improve the world. The Global Women’s Mentoring Walk is held annually on the same day around the world
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“Mentoring at its core reminds young people that there is someone out there who cares about them and their success. It assures them that they are not alone and provides a support base that matters. Research also confirms that quality mentoring relationships can have a powerful positive impact on young people ultimately resulting in personal and professional growth, and exposure to opportunities, networks and, experiences “says Vallabh.
Originally conceived by American media icon, founder and former CEO of Oxygen Media, Geraldine Laybourn, the Global Mentoring Walk pairs together mentors with young professionals and aspiring leaders. Since 2008, through the Vital Voices Global Leadership Network hosting events in their respective countries, over 50 countries now partake in the initiative, with South Africa participating since 2013 when Hema Vallabh brought the initiative home.
“The success of the Mentoring Walk really boils down to providing a conducive environment to introduce mentoring relationships. You have top successful C-suite executives walking next to young ambitious leaders, all donned in t-shirts and slacks, taking a walk in the park and simply having a chat as women. That’s when the magic happens!” says Vallabh, a thought leader in mentorship in South Africa.
Hema launched the Mentoring Walk concept in South Africa in 2013 and has since hosted six successful events, including the Global Women’s Day Mentoring Walk in 2013, 2014 and 2015. While some mentees take away a new sense of purpose from these walks, many of the pairings have resulted in ongoing mentorship relationships. Vallabh believes that events such as the Global Mentoring Walk go a long way towards breaking the stigma that successful women are not forthcoming in helping other women reach similar positions.
Beyond the Mentoring Walk, The Passionate Professional has also launched its very own Mentorship Hub, an online Mentoring Community promoting effective and impactful Mentoring. The Mentorship Hub provides an easy, accessible and private platform where established and emerging leaders can connect, build and foster Mentoring relationships focused on continuous self-development, growth and excellence. The Hub enables Mentors and Mentees introduced at the Mentoring Walk to pursue and continue their mentoring relationships with meaning and ease.
For more information about Global Mentoring Walk visit The Passionate Professional www.thepassionateprofessional.org
For more information about the Mentorship Hub visit www.thepassionateprofessional.org/communities-overview
