Call for Mentors(Volunteer)

Call for Mentors (Volunteer)

About My First Job

In Ghana, only 1 in 10 Ghanaian tertiary graduates land a job within the first year after graduating; the other 9 can take up to 5 years to secure permanent work. My First Job is a virtual, 9-month Career Accelerator Program organized by the Global Shapers Accra Hub with the goal of bridging the gap between academic knowledge and workplace skills by training and mentoring recent graduates (National Service Personnel) and using National Service jobs as a platform to gain practical experience, refine their abilities, and enhance their employability, ensuring a seamless school-to-work transition process. The program won the maiden Global Innovation Prize award established by the Global Shapers Community, an initiative of the World Economic Forum, in conjunction with Accenture and Global Alliance 4 YOUth.

Role Overview

To drive accountability and efficiency, recruited National Service Personnel (Fellows) will be organized into pods (groups of 3-5 fellows). This is where you come in. As a mentor, you will provide personalized guidance and support to your pod, helping fellows navigate workplace challenges and opportunities on a weekly or biweekly basis. You will foster a culture of knowledge and experience sharing while modeling the very skills and behaviors the program seeks to instill in its fellows. Your actions—such as giving constructive feedback, demonstrating professional communication, and maintaining accountability—will serve as a practical example of the soft skills and values fellows should emulate. Fellows will also leverage our suite of AI-powered career management tools (Career Journal, Goal Planning Tool, Achievement Quantification Tool, Career Discovery Tool) to enhance their self-awareness.

Mentor Responsibilities:

1. Mentorship Relationship Building: You will build a rapport with your assigned fellows fostering trust and open communication. This includes setting expectations for mentorship meetings, frequency, and communication channels and practicing active listening by staying attentive to fellow needs, concerns, and goals. Your encouragement, feedback and support will provide positive reinforcement to fellows throughout the program.

2. Career Guidance & Skill Development: Guide fellows in evaluating career options and identifying their strengths and interests using our AI-powered tools. Offer feedback on essential soft skills, such as communication, problem-solving, and resourcefulness. Share personal experiences to provide valuable context and, when appropriate, connect fellows with other professionals to expand their networks. Your behaviors, such as punctuality, empathy, and consistent follow-through, will demonstrate the real-life application of the skills and values discussed.

3. Program Participation and Communication: You will have full ownership of experimenting with the best channel to deploy your mentorship session, leveraging a mix of synchronous and asynchronous techniques to keep fellows engaged. You will have the opportunity to participate in program workshops and seminars and share feedback and insights with the program team, including any challenges or opportunities observed. All engagements with fellows will be kept in confidence by way of respecting their privacy.

Mentor Qualifications:

• 3+ years of work experience in a relevant field, preferably with experience in mentoring or coaching or a deep commitment to knowledge transfer

• Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, to build strong mentor-mentee relationships.

• A genuine desire to support the professional growth of early career graduates which often requires patience and consistency.

• Willingness to commit to the program's duration and attend mentorship meetings regularly.

• Hourly commitments: 2 hours weekly

Benefits of Being a Mentor

• Leave a positive impact on the lives of young professionals.

• Connect with other mentors and facilitators as well as talented graduates to build new relationships and expand your network.

• Full access to our suite of AI-powered career management tools

• Enhance your mentorship and leadership skills to prepare you towards leadership positions.

• Experience the fulfillment of helping others achieve their career goals at the most critical point in their lives–the foundation.

Commitment to Inclusivity and Equity

The Program strongly values diversity, equity, and inclusion. We encourage mentors to embrace and champion these principles in their interactions with mentees, creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all participants.

If you are interested in this volunteering opportunity, we invite you to hit the apply button.