On the weekend of July 4th, during the annual Eritrean Sports Federation in North America (ERSFNA) Soccer Tournament, EDN and the Federation co-hosted two events. The first was a happy hour held on July 3rd, and a Professional Development workshop on July 4th.  Both events were well-attended and as a follow-up we sent surveys to participants for feedback and to get a sense of the types of events members of the community wanted to see from the Professional Development workgroup.

The survey results showed that 90% of participants were interested in seeing more professional development workshops, 82% were interested in a mentorship program, and 75% were interested in more social events.  The people have spoken and our goal as a network is to make sure that our programming reflects the needs of the community. In an upcoming note, we’ll talk more about workshops and social events, but for now we’d like to share with you our EDN’s Mentorship Program.

Lets face it, as Eritreans and as a culture, we tend not to ask for help or support from someone that isn’t in our immediate family circle. But mentorship can be a really helpful resource, especially when you are embarking on a career path that no one in your immediate circle has experience in.  Having a mentor can elevate your professional capabilities exponentially.

And—added bonus—mentors are amazing people. When you take the time to develop a strong mentorship relationship, you get access to a wealth of knowledge and experience, but you also end up with a lifelong friend and potential future business partner. In short, there’s no downside.

It is in this spirit that EDN would like to announce that we are launching a mentorship program.  The goals of which are to:

• Foster advantageous relationships with like-minded Eritreans on a similar career path through collaboration and interaction.
• Share business knowledge and experience to benefit Eritreans interested in career mobility within a particular industry or job role.
• Give people the opportunity and the space to ask questions, and learn from someone’s past experiences.

What do we mean by Mentor?

A mentor is an experienced professional who would like to provide guidance and advice to someone in a similar field or with similar career goals.

What would make you a good Mentor?

• At least four or five years of experience in a given field, or have successfully attained a graduate degree (JD, MA, MBA, MD).
• Willingness and eagerness to share your experience with others to support their professional goals.
• Provide a safe space for Mentee to ask questions without judgment.
• Committed to the Mentee’s growth and development.
• Share opportunities and personal networks to the Mentee.
• Provides guidance and constructive feedback.
• Good listener.
• Professional composure.

What do we mean by Mentee?

A mentee is someone looking to be guided and advised by another person’s experiences in certain professional endeavors that are of interest to them.

Who would make you a good Mentee?

• Eager to advance in his or her professional field.
• Interested and open to learning from others.
• Responsible and takes initiative in engaging their Mentor.
• Willing to have open and have honest discussions with Mentor regarding issues that they are facing.
• Good listener.
• Professional composure.

What types of relationships do we want mentor and mentees to have?

• Reciprocal. The relationship should benefit both Mentor and Mentee.
• Mutual respect. Both parties respect each others time, effort and qualifications.
• Personal connection. This is what is known as chemistry created by being actively present in the relationship and listening and reflecting back what you’ve heard.

What is the time commitment?

We want Mentors and Mentees to have intentional and proactive relationships.  At minimum, we are asking each party to commit to checking in with each other for a one hour call on a monthly basis, though we would hope that both parties would want to engage beyond that time.

How to apply

If you are interested in being a Mentor please send an email to eridiaspora@gmail.com with your resume and a short summary of your qualifications and why you are interested in EDN’s Mentorship program.  If you’re interested in being a Mentee, please fill out this form. HERE **DEADLINE IS NOVEMBER 1ST**.

We are looking forward to launching this initiative and working with you all to make it a success. Please don’t be shy. One way for us to build our community is to be committed to building one another.  In the words of J. Loren Norris, “If you cannot see where you are going, ask someone who has been there before”.