Enabling Women Mentoring Program

The Enabling Women Mentoring Program, runs alongside the Enabling Women Leadership Program, which empowers women with disabilities to speak up about issues that relate to them, and other women with disabilities.

As participants of the Leadership Program work on a leadership goal, they are individually supported by a mentor. Each mentor is a woman with connections to the local area that the Program is running in. They may or may not identify with lived experience of disability.

Mentors may play a number of different roles in the partnership. They may:

• Provide guidance in steps required to achieve the mentee’s (Leadership Program Participant’s) goal/s
• Ask useful questions
• Assist in identifying barriers and how to overcome them
• Extend the mentee’s network
• Be a friendly face
• Provide encouragement
• Work with, and provide feedback on the mentee’s strengths

Can I be a mentor?

When a new Mentoring Program begins, WDV will call for expressions of interest.

Mentors will identify as women, with or without lived experience of disability. They should have some connection to the area that the Program is being run in, it could be that they live, work, study, or play in the area.

Mentoring is a voluntary role.

An Information session will be held for each Program. If you can’t attend the information session, you can still apply to be a mentor.

Each mentor is required to attend the second day of the Leadership Program for a couple of hours. This will be held on a weekday. Other meetings (at least 5), between the mentor and mentee, can be organised at their convenience.

Mentors are strongly encouraged to attend the Graduation Ceremony, which is also held on a weekday.

What are the benefits of being a mentor?

Through becoming a mentor with the Enabling Women Mentor Program. you may:

• Improve skills in listening, and how to support and empower others
• Widen your professional and personal networks
• Increase your knowledge, and understanding of barriers experienced by women with disabilities
• Develop a deeper awareness of your own beliefs about, and behaviours towards women with disabilities
• Achieve satisfaction from giving back to your community

Upcoming Programs

Several Enabling Women Mentoring Programs will be running across Victoria in 2022. Please ensure you check this page regularly to see if there is a Program near you!

If you think you can assist in getting a Program to run in your area, please contact WDV on 03 9286 7800, or email [email protected]

For more information, please contact:

• Bridget Jolley – Program Lead facilitator.
  Bridget’s e-mail address is: [email protected] 
  Or you can contact her by phone: 03 9286 78183