Reverse Mentoring
What is it and how it works?
Reverse mentoring connects young students and/or recent graduates with higher-level business leaders to exchange ideas on knowledge, skills, and understanding. It is actually the opposite of a classical mentorship program where young mentors are leading conversations with business executives on topics like new trends, technology, and social media.
The concept of reverse mentorship emerged back in the 1990s when the former CEO of General Electric Jack Welch recognized the need for managers to learn from young employees on new technologies. Since then, it is a common practice applied within many companies.
Reverse mentoring offers an opportunity to cover skills gaps and a huge potential to create intergenerational and cultural learning. A younger student or a recent graduate can pass new skills and ideas up to a corporate ladder, and someone older can become a role model.
Within Embark Reverse Mentorship Program, refugee ‘mentors’ develop the cultural insights and soft skills to advance their careers and by sharing these stories, Embark reverses the narrative about refugees as a burden and instead highlights their undervalued potential.
Program Structure
The Embark reverse mentorship program consists of 3/4 online sessions that take place within 8-10 weeks.
Before the program kick-off, mentors receive training on the format, method, and structure of the reverse mentorship journey.
The mentors are in charge of following up and setting up the meetings. They prepare a certain topic (common interest) for each session, drive the learning process, and also have the opportunity to receive guidance from an experienced leader.
Benefits
For mentees/business leaders:
- Businesses gain fresh perspectives and awareness about how to tap into the refugee talent segment and provide better services to this demographic
- Get an insight into the Syrian community – it’s not homogenous!
- A better understanding of the cultural and generational differences
- Understand the Syrian consumer market needs
- Learn from the amazing life journey
- Become a conscious leader
For mentor/youth:
- Understand how best to position themselves in a Turkish work environment
- Build a network/ professional friendship
- Earn more self-confidence
- Lead the rest of their community based on the learning they get