HOW WE WORK

Our mentees lead for-profit companies, social enterprises or non-profit organizations. They are committed to sharing new knowledge, experience and influence with the next generation.

Our Global Ambassadors are women executives drawn from the private sector, government, media or civil society. They share with their mentees advice and guidance, over time helping them to build critical communications, advocacy and business skills, and to develop strategies for advancing their work and positively impacting their communities.

Selection:

The mentee selection process is rigorous and applicants must demonstrate a successful track record, with the capacity and intention to build her business/enterprise/organization and her own leadership ability.

Global Ambassadors are selected from a pool of candidates in the larger Vital Voices network and from Bank of America leadership.

Matching:

Our matching process is designed to foster a successful mentor/mentee relationship. Each mentee brings a unique set of values and experiences to the program. Her leadership style is informed by varying cultural, economic and political realities. These differences are what make our program strong. We find that regardless of business type or country of origin, our mentees are united by a set of common elements that are missing in their leadership and career growth.

We address these missing elements through our unique mentorship approach. Through in-depth interviews before each program, we align a mentee’s particular business challenge to a Global Ambassador’s area of expertise. Our pre-trip assessments often reveal knowledge gaps or core competencies undisclosed in application materials or company bios. This tailored matching takes time and analysis, and we rarely pair two people from similar industries.

Our mentorship model:

1. One-on-one, group and peer mentoring provides an ecosystem of support and a “safe space” for learning and connecting.

2. Business skills training led by experts incorporates strategic planning, financial management, human resource management, marketing and communications.

3. Leadership, personal development and goal-setting sessions provide mentees with tools they need to thrive both at work and at home.

See Results & Impact