About the Australian Women's Mentoring Network

The contribution of mentoring to the growth and development of women in the workforce has been demonstrated time and time again by the number of successful mentoring programs offered within organizations and companies.  However, there has been no one network that focuses specifically on women’s career development and work/life balance that caters for women from all backgrounds, across industries, across the nation.

The Australian Women's Mentoring Network (AWMN) was founded in May 2004 and started accepting members (i.e. mentors and mentees) on the 30th August 2004. The AWMN provides women from any professional, personal or ethnic background access to a mentor of their choice who can offer advice and support concerning career and work/life balance issues, based on their own professional and life experiences, and skills.

Our Vision

The vision of the AWMN is two-fold. Firstly, it is to facilitate mentoring for women who don't otherwise have access to suitable mentors.  Secondly, the AWMN provides an online facility by which companies and organisations can introduce or expand upon their own women's mentoring program; and therefore aims to increase the awareness and occurrence of mentoring for women in the workplace, through the adoption of this facility. For more information regarding this, please see our Corporate/NPO Solutions.

The AWMN is available to and benefits ALL Australian women, but particularly those in the following categories:

• Women who don't have access to a mentoring program through their place of employment

• Executive and high level women whose choice of mentors within their own company is limited

• Women in male-dominated professions/industries

• Women who own small, micro or home-based businesses

• Unemployed women

• Women returning to the workforce after having children

• Women in minority groups (e.g. NESB, ATSI)

• Young women aged 18-25

• Rural/remote women

How it works...

Once you register yourself online as a mentor or mentee you are able to:

• create and update your own password-protected mentor or mentee profile

• indicate on your mentor profile if you are or aren't accepting mentees

• conduct an online search for a mentor matching your specific criteria

• contact mentors by email immediately, sending them a link to your profile, with a message about yourself and what you want to achieve by being mentored

• have the option of having a mentor found for you by an AWMN consultant (fee applies)

• find resources about mentoring, career development and work/life balance

• arrange life/personal or career coaching, and have access to other personal development products

There is a lot to be gained from both mentoring and being mentored. Most mentors and mentees identify networking, developing professional friendships, and two-way learning as being some of the greatest benefits derived from their mentoring relationships. There is no doubt that mentoring is of great benefit to the mentee, however mentoring can also benefit the mentor in terms of professional development and the enhancement of management and interpersonal skills (not to mention looking great on your CV!).

Your feedback and suggestions are welcome so we can make this network the best it can be for Australian women. Email us.