For generations, women were made to think that they were inferior to men. Patriarchy was so deeply rooted in the brains and souls of society that women were thought to only be child bearers and cooks in the kitchen. Their role beyond the household was unthinkable and often frowned upon. 

But in today’s world, women are leading on almost every front. Their role now has gone beyond just participating and they have now become active leaders in every field. However, there still exists a wide parity among women who achieve great heights and women who are still at the bottom of the ladder. Some women are able to break the barriers of patriarchy and shatter the gender-biased norms of society while there are many who are still stuck on the web. Even though they are trying to break free, the shackles of the past still bind them somehow. To be able to rise, a mentoring program is very beneficial for women. The benefits of mentoring women are multifold. To learn more about the different types of mentorship and the benefits of mentoring, read along.

How to mentor women?

 Mentoring should never be equated with dictatorship. A mentor should be someone who motivates and supports his mentees. With regards to the question of how to mentor women, the answer lies in the mentor’s ability to understand the pressing injustice in society. Moreover, to mentor women, one must understand their abilities, strengths and weaknesses so that their strengths and weaknesses can be used and moulded to their advantage.

Given the historical injustice, women have been subjected to, mentoring women should involve breaking the norms of societal injustice and empowering them to reach their full potential.

 The mentor should possess the following qualities so that the purpose of mentoring is fully achieved.

1- The mentor should engage and have a close relationship with the women he or she is mentoring. This will enable the mentor to understand the problems faced by the women and devise strategies to overcome the problems.

2- The mentor must be someone who is genuinely interested in the development of women and supports women’s rights. He or she must be someone who recognizes the injustice they face and will face because they choose to live their lives on their own terms and no longer play by the whims and fancies of society. 

3- Patience is a virtue and a mentor who has this virtue will be able to work well in women mentoring programs. Every woman is different and their ability to learn also differs from one woman to another. Hence, the mentor must be patient to understand the needs and abilities of each woman under the women mentoring programme.

Types of mentoring for women:

Women mentoring programs are of different types. Irrespective of the type of mentorship women receive, the end goal of all such programmes is the upliftment of women. Some of the types of women mentoring programmes are:

 1- Career mentorship for women:

This is perhaps the most common type of mentorship available for women. Whether is mentoring women at the workplace or mentoring them to secure employment, such mentorships are very beneficial to society in general and women in particular. Mentoring women in the workplace is a great idea for employers to harness the abilities of women and also promote a good working environment. If there is no mentorship, newly recruited women may feel out of place and may have a difficult time settling in.

2- A mentoring program focused on diversity and inclusion:

Mentoring programs focused on diversity and inclusion is another type of women mentoring program and such programs will help women sympathise with each other and build trust. This trust is very important because if women want to be ahead in life, they have to support one another.

  

3- A women mentoring program that is group based:

A group-based mentoring program where each member is a mentor and helps the other is a great way to achieve women empowerment. In such a type of mentorship, women become empowered to grow and develop problem-solving skills.

4- A one on one mentorship program:

A one on one mentorship program is a very good idea to help the mentees solve their problems. Here, since there is only one person to mentor, the mentor is able to focus all his attention and help the woman grow, solve her problems and achieve her full potential.

If you want to secure a mentorship program but do not know where to start, you have come to the right place. Here at Seekho, you will find the best guidance. Here, we design our mentorship programs based on your needs and requirements.  Our mentors are well trained and well qualified to help you solve your problems and achieve your full potential.