Become a Social Enterprise Mentor
Strengthen Australia's social enterprise community
by sharing your knowledge and experience
The RISE program is a collaboration drawing on the skills of corporate Australia, including KPMG, Westpac, MinterEllison, Boston Consulting Group and others, with employees volunteering their time to provide volunteer business support to support social enterprises at this difficult time.
Applications for volunteers are now open.
“It’s so uplifting to meet and get to know the bright talent behind businesses making a social impact. Just to play a small part in the overall success of an individual’s career is so rewarding.”
Harry Heo | Boston Consulting Group
What does it mean to become a social enterprise mentor?
As a volunteer providing support to a social enterprise, you have skills and insights that you're willing to share with an innovative organisation that is using its applying its business to create a fairer and more sustainable world.
You have an interest and willingness to gift your time (at least 2 hours per week for a 3-6 month period) to support a person who runs an existing or emerging social enterprise knowing that your knowledge and experience can shorten their learning curve, make improvements to their growth potential, and positively impact the communities they influence.
As a volunteer mentor, you are a guide, an advocate, an empathetic ear, a supporter and a catalyst for change. With no financial or emotional investment in the business, you are motivated only by the success of your mentee.
RISE gives you the opportunity to be part of a structured and supported program designed to help social enterprises impacted by COVID-19.
Why become a social enterprise mentor?
Build subject-matter expertise in social impact and deepen your own personal knowledge
Learn how to motivate others and provide guidance to aspiring social entrepreneurs
Enjoy personal satisfaction from making a difference to the development of a social enterprise
Increase your professional networks and create meaningful relationships with current and future social change leaders
Reflect on your own goals and practices
Develop your interpersonal, leadership and management skills
Get exposure to fresh perspectives, ideas and approaches
What is the commitment?
Volunteers are asked to commit to providing at least 2 hours of support weekly for a 3 to 6 month period. In the initial month, there will likely be a couple of virtual meetings, first to get to know each other, and next to establish expectations and determine a direction.
Depending on the needs of the enterprise, you may be matched in a team with other volunteers and work as part of a team.
You can also change your availability as you need to and will only ever be assigned to support a social enterprise with your agreement.
Are you a social enterprise looking for support?
How RISE works
We are interested in getting some insight into your business experience and what motivates you to be a social enterprise mentor.
Get involved
We will share more in-depth information about how we support you and explore what areas of business motivates you most.
Get interviewed
Get connected
In gifting your time and providing your experience and knowledge to help others, you will join a small but distinguished group who are making a genuine difference in the wellbeing and prosperity of social entrepreneurs by helping them mitigate the effects of the pandemic and forge ahead in these uncertain times.
Get upskilled
We then invite you to participate in a series of workshops on topics including developing a successful mentor-mentee relationship and best practice mentoring principles and on a range of topics relevant to social enterprise during these times.
Get matched
Your mentor coordinator will match you with a social enterprise that would benefit from your skills and experience.
Whether it’s pivoting a business model to find new potential revenue streams or finding ways to adjust financial plans to ensure cashflow is stabilised, this is a unique opportunity to help COVID-impacted social enterprises with their immediate needs.
Applications have closed. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of upcoming programs and mentorship opportunities.
Are you a social enterprise looking for a pro bono mentor? Click here.
RISE in action:
JUTE Theatre Company
JUTE Theatre Company is focused on creating and sharing culturally diverse stories, especially of first nations people. They work with emerging Indigenous and youth artists to perform and tour stories and give workshops about storytelling and belonging. JUTE has been seriously impacted by COVID - through lost box office sales and cancellations of their remote workshops in Indigenous communities. JUTE reached out to the RISE program seeking assistance with strategies to generate new revenue streams, developing plans around business development and strategic partnerships.
A small team of pro-bono mentors has been working with JUTE on this project, researching the revenue streams of similar arts-based organisations, identifying funding opportunities and developing other strategies to diversify revenue streams.
“It is such a great process and the board wanted to make sure that you knew how well the project is progressing and to say thank you for providing us with such a great team to support the growth of JUTE.”
- Suellen Maunder, CEO JUTE Theatre Company
The Sustainable Gardner
For over 10 years, Warren Aitken has been running a social enterprise gardening and maintenance company, which trains and employs less-abled people whilst growing gardens using sustainable techniques and products. Warren reached out for assistance with marketing, strategies for scaling and succession planning. With great support from a mentor and some coaching in the program, Warren has grown the business, training more teams, despite challenging times.
“My mentors’ advice on marketing using social media has been implemented and resulted in more new business. I'm very grateful for the support in linking us with professional services and mentors. The support is enabling us to develop a succession plan to perpetuate our social enterprise.”
- Warren Aitken, CEO The Sustainable Gardener
Applications have closed. Sign up for our newsletter to be notified of upcoming programs and mentorship opportunities.
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