As a member of the AWMN you can:

• set up your online profile as a mentee, mentor or both, search for and self-select a mentor you are interested in, and then make contact with that mentor for free - all via the AWMN website, 24/7.
• join OMG's (Online Mentoring Groups) and engage in peer mentoring. Join the  AWMN Mentors group, Career Development Group, Coaching Group and more.
• find a mentor by networking at an AWMN event

One:One Mentoring via our Search Facility

The AWMN facilitates mentoring by offering a free online mentor search facility for it's members.  As an AWMN member you are able to set up your online profile as a mentee, mentor or both, search for and self-select a mentor you are interested in, and then make contact with that mentor for free - all via the AWMN website, 24/7.

Once you have joined the AWMN, finding a mentor and being mentored is free.  All AWMN members listed as mentors have agreed to provide mentoring freely to other members if they are contacted via the message system on the AWMN site.  You can have as many mentors as you like during your membership (1-3 mentors at any one time is usually ideal) and there are hundreds to choose from, from many industries and professions, all over Australia.

Finding a mentor through the AWMN is a self-service process, so you can search for and make contact with a mentor online any time of the day or night.  Because the AWMN facilitates mentoring rather than manages it (i.e. we provide you with ways of finding a mentor and making contact, but do not manually match mentors with mentees, manage the mentoring process once you've made contact, or take responsibility for the outcomes of your mentoring), this creates a number of advantages for our members:

• You get to choose the mentor you want and feel is the right person for you;
• You decide on your own mentoring parameters (when, where, how, duration, etc.)
• You commence your mentoring partnership whenever you and your mentor are ready - you are not locked into any formal mentoring agreements or programs which have set commencement and end dates.
• You can change your mind if you decide it's not working out for you, and choose another mentor free of charge;
• You can browse through all the mentor profiles online 24/7, which may inspire you to think of ideas and goals that you may otherwise not have considered before;
• You learn and develop valuable skills and experience through managing your own mentoring process, either as the mentor or the mentee (with help from our resources - including professional development events, OMG's (online mentoring groups), articles, templates, programs/training, books & more)
• There are no limits on the number of mentors and mentees that join, unlike traditional mentoring programs.  In fact, the more people who join the AWMN the better the network becomes, as every new member adds to the wealth of experience, diversity and generosity that exists within the network!
• Joining the AWMN is affordable for all women because our costs are kept to an absolute minimum due to not having to go through the time consuming process of matching mentors and mentees, and monitoring the progress of mentoring partnerships.
• We are able to invest more time and money into creating free resources for you to use, and offer member discounts on training, events and other resources/services.

Because our Network is open and reliant on the generosity of members to undertake mentoring for free and keep their profiles up-to-date, there are no guarantees that you will find the right mentor for you or that your mentoring request will be received by the mentor. Sometimes a mentor's email address may not be up-to-date or they may go on leave for lengthy periods of time and not update their profile.  The AWMN does its best to keep the database as up-to-date as possible and remind mentors to update their profiles, but occasionally your email may not get through or your mentor may not respond to you.  Don't be disheartened!  It's important to keep trying - wait a few days and then make contact with another mentor (you can try the original one again later).  On the whole, we have many amazing mentors who are busy mentoring their mentees all over the country.  Our success stories are testimony to this!

How to Contact a Mentor on the AWMN Website

Contacting a mentor via our Mentor search page is quick and simple!

1. Go to our Find a Mentor search page.  If you are already a member, login first.  If you are not already a member, you can still search for a mentor and view their mentor summary, but you will not be able to view their full profile or make contact with that mentor.  To join the AWMN, click here.
    
2. Click on Search Users (located under the Find a Mentor drop down box) to open up the search criteria fields.
    
3. Enter your search criteria - by location, industry/profession or area of skill/expertise and click on Find Users.  (Try searching by industry or location only if your search results are limited.)
      
4. Browse mentors and click on those you are interested in to view their full profile.  Only registered AWMN members will be able to view full profiles of mentors. 
      
5. To send a message to a mentor, click on the Messages - Send Email box at the top of their profile page.
     
6. When composing your message, don't forget to include your full name, contact details, a little about yourself and outline why you would like them to mentor you.  If you would like to send them a link to your profile, insert the following URL into the message with your username on the end -  http://www.womensmentoring.com.au/index.php/my-profile/userprofile/[your username].
      
7. We recommend that out of courtesy, you contact no more than 3 mentors at a time.

Peer Mentoring via an OMG

The AWMN also encourages you to join an Online Mentoring Group (OMG) and this can work well in addition to, or instead of, your one:one mentoring.  Peer mentoring is where a group of people with a common issue/problem/interest get together on a regular basis to discuss relevant topics, brainstorm solutions, offer guidance and support, or just network and chat.  Instead of obtaining information from one source, you benefit from the collective wisdom of the entire group.  Your peers become your mentors and vice versa!

The AWMN uses LinkedIn as its community portal and our OMG's are set up within this framework.  We currently have several OMG's including groups for mentors, coaching and career development.  To join, just register with LinkedIn (this is free), request to join the AWMN LinkedIn Group and then request to join the subgroup (OMG) of your choice.  The AWMN OMG's and LinkedIn group are exclusive to AWMN members, so ensure you are a registered member with us before applying to join our LinkedIn group.  Go to our Community Page for more details.