Mentor our global community with your knowledge and experience
Join our network to empower the next generation of impact-focused professionals
What is How to Change the World?
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disciplinary
How to Change the World is a social enterprise that runs fully-virtual experiential education programs for thousands of higher education students every year from across dozens of top universities, colleges and institutes around the world. Each program provides a unique interdisciplinary and multi-institutional learning environment that enables students to learn how to collaboratively tackle some of the most difficult social, environmental and economic sustainability challenges facing our world today.
Become a mentor with How to Change the World and you can become a catalyst for impact in global sustainability. Our experiential education programs are designed to empower students to collaboratively tackle the world’s most pressing challenges. As a mentor, you will play a pivotal role in our highly interactive two-hour 'Mentor Sessions,' where you will directly engage with multiple teams of participants.
Your invaluable experience and knowledge will guide them in shaping how they think about their areas of focus and will support developing impactful and implementable solutions to real sustainability challenges faced by local communities. Join us in shaping the next generation of change-makers and make a tangible difference in the world.
Value for You
The value that Mentors gain through engaging with How to Change the World is multifold:
Mentor Talented Global Changemakers
You'll have the opportunity to engage with the brightest and most enthusiastic problem solvers from prestigious institutions worldwide, providing mentorship that can shape their future endeavours. It's the perfect opportunity to discover and nurture potential talent for your own ventures.
Expand Your Professional Network
You'll become part of a thriving global network of dynamic professionals and entrepreneurs associated with high-impact teams and leading companies such as Cisco, Google, GE Renewable Energy, Mitacs, and Accenture. Collaborating with us means gaining access to a diverse and influential community.
Be Inspired By New Ideas & Make a Lasting Impact
Through effective mentorship, students in our program achieve remarkable strides in developing practical solutions that benefit communities on a global scale. Their fresh perspectives and innovative problem-solving approaches will undoubtedly inspire and invigorate your own journey towards making a meaningful impact on the world.
Global Personal Growth
Mentoring is not just about guiding others—it's also a learning journey of personal growth and self-discovery. By engaging with enthusiastic students, you'll enhance your leadership, communication, and mentorship skills, and gain fresh perspectives on the world's most pressing issues.
“The sessions were valuable in that they allowed me to not only share my work and lived experience but to also learn from the students. The students' passion and sincerity in their approach to solving serious societal issues was very inspiring.”
Lynn Muir-Wheeler, Mentor 2023
How Do I Get Involved?
1
Sign up to express interest to join our global Mentorship network
Fill in this short questionnaire expressing your interest in joining our network. Our team will evaluate your answers and reach out to you if you meet our Mentor eligibility requirements.
2
Onboard onto our Virtual Learning Environment
You will receive an email invitation to our How to Change the World Portal which will ultimately connect you to our student teams. Complete all steps in the Portal and you’ve completed the onboarding process.
3
RSVP to a program that works in your schedule
We will reach out to you in advance of future program dates. You have the option to sign up for the dates and times that work best for your schedule. The minimum time commitment is 2 hours and you can Mentor as many times as you’d like.
4
Mentor students and create a lasting impact
Once you’ve signed up for a Mentor session, we will send you all necessary details for joining that session so you can meet with students!
FAQ
What are the key responsibilities of being a mentor?
Mentors' responsibilities include guiding student teams in understanding problems, providing feedback on proposed solutions, and sharing valuable expertise to develop impactful and implementable sustainability solutions.
Who can become a mentor for How to Change the World?
We look for Mentors who fit the following eligibility requirements:
At least 5 years of experience in your field or any outstanding achievements you'd like to share
Active listeners, empathizers, and those who put themselves in their mentees' shoes.
Good communication skills over virtual video conferencing tools
Passion for what you do and a willingness to share your knowledge with students
Familiarity with sustainability issues is a plus, especially if you've been involved in impact-oriented work. We define sustainability as social, environmental and/or economic sustainability.
We value traits like leadership, critical thinking, problem-solving, and having a thoughtful and informed perspective.
What is the time commitment required for mentors?
The commitment for mentors is 2 hours per interactive Mentor Session. Mentors can choose dates and times that suit their schedule, and we encourage Mentors to participate in multiple sessions if desired. Mentors will be informed well in advance for the times these sessions will be held.
What is the expected frequency of mentor-mentee interactions?
Each session is 2 hours in length.
The first 30 minutes includes onboarding to the online environment. The remainder of the time includes three 20 minute meetings with three different teams of students. Mentors will get breaks in between each meeting.
Each meeting is pre-assigned based on mentee’s preferences after reading your biography and viewing your LinkedIn page. You are welcome to share your contact details after the meeting has ended, although an ongoing engagement with Mentees is not required.
Will a mentor session be held in-person or virtual?
Mentor sessions are held virtually through video conferencing tools, allowing mentors to engage with student teams from anywhere.
What are the virtual tools that Mentors use?
Our programs are organised through the How To Change the World Portal website, which guides you though the required steps to attend virtually. You will be invited to become a member of this portal via email when joining us.
We use Zoom for our Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). During our Mentor sessions, you will join teams of students in a video conference and will be able to send useful resources or notes in the text chat channels to help them in their studies.
We provide technical support at all stages, with 1:1 support sessions before and during programs to ensure you have a great experience.
Will I be recorded? What is the Privacy Policy?
You will not be recorded in our sessions and your personal information such as email will be kept confidential.
What resources and support will be available to mentors to assist them in their mentoring or guidance roles?
Once you fill out the mentor interest form, a member from our team will reach out to you to have you onboard to our platform. On our platform, there are training and guidance materials that will prepare you for you mentorship session.
"Having mentors to provide invaluable feedback for our projects has been a transformative experience. Their guidance and insights have not only renewed our team's sense of direction but also made our ideas significantly more implementable and impactful.”
Third Year Software Engineering Student