To kick off a new project with Somalia’s Department of Diaspora Affairs, on 23 July we hosted an online exchange to learn from the mentoring schemes run by Al Sudaniyah Mentoring and the Migration Youth and Children’s Platforms. Charlotte Griffiths, Public Partnerships Lead, shares the highlights and insights on how to design a diaspora-youth mentoring scheme.

Mentoring is a well-known tool for professional and personal development. It provides a way to share experience, knowledge and skills and builds a unique relationship between mentor and mentee, one which may be time-bound by a programme or extend far beyond.

In diaspora engagement, mentoring is no new tool either. In fact, we have identified lots of instances of mentoring incorporated into broader programmes, such as those focused on entrepreneurship.

Somalia, where 70% of the population is under 30, struggles with high unemployment. The Department of Diaspora Affairs (DoDA) sees great potential in tapping the vast knowledge and experience of its diaspora to help young people access the job market by building their confidence and soft skills in particular. Through a new support project, EUDiF is accompanying DoDA to conceptualise a diaspora-youth mentoring programme.

The first step was to learn from active diaspora-youth mentoring schemes…

Al Sudaniyah Mentoring

Active since 2013, ASM is a diaspora organisation dedicated to providing tailored mentorship to young Sudanese women, equipping them with tools and resources to become leaders and agents of positive change.

The programme matches mentors and mentees based on interests and skills, and participants have access to monthly group workshops in addition to one-to-one mentoring. Initially the programme included in-person and online elements, but since April 2023 the programme has moved exclusively online due to the conflict in the country.

After 11 cohorts, ASM has built a global network of over 300 mentors and mentee alumni and over 80% of mentees actively contribute to their communities by sharing the knowledge and skills they acquired during the programme.

Youth on the Move Mentorship

In 2025, the Migration Youth and Children’s Platform created a pilot mentorship programme within UNICEF’s broader Youth on the Move Programme which provides UN Volunteer placements at UNICEF to young refugees, asylum seekers IDPs and migrants. Now starting a second cohort, the mentorship programme combines individual mentoring with group reflection sessions and skills accelerator workshops. It provides one-to-one pastoral support, personal and career development, whilst facilitating exchange between peer participants and building a community.

The mentors are emerging youth leaders in the fields of migration and displacement, youth advocacy and entrepreneurship, often working with international and multilateral organisations. Mentors support mentees with professional challenges and personal development, including setting goals during their UN Volunteer assignments and preparing for job applications. Mentors themselves have access to a mentor coordinator who supports them during the programme and is iteratively developing support resources for all involved.

Programme design tips

The lessons ASM and YOM programmes shared to guide DoDA’s design are not only useful for Somalia, but for all seeking to harness the potential of mentoring, no matter the scale:

1. Listen to young people to understand their needs; ask them their non-negotiables. This creates shared ownership and helps drive engagement from future mentees.
2. Include people in the programme management who have experience of mentoring or being mentored.
3. Mobilise existing networks to develop, promote and participate in the programme.
4. Create clear guidelines for mentors, mentees and those involved in running the programme (including any host institutions); sign joint agreements that define the mutual commitment.
5. Combine methods such as one-to-one mentoring with group sessions to support different participant needs and create community along the way. Consider whether some sessions can be opened to a wider audience for a spillover effect.
6. Encourage mentors and mentees to adapt to each other, be that to choose their preferred platform to use or how often to speak – but ensure a structure is in place for them to turn to if they need extra support.
7. Credit and celebrate the participants. For instance, provide letters of recommendation to mentors and mentees.
8. Monitor, evaluate and learn along the way. Use the insights to adapt as you go and refine the programme before the next cycle.
9. Start small, test and refine, then scale-up.
10. Remember to be realistic: Everyone involved in a volunteer mentoring programme is doing this as an extra.

The mentorship experience benefits both those on the receiving and giving side. For diaspora mentors, it can be an opportunity to reconnect with their home country and contribute to its future by sharing their knowledge and experience with younger generations. For young mentees, access to international perspectives and expertise can be a life-changing opportunity. As we continue to explore the best ways to facilitate this exchange, we invite you to share examples of diaspora-youth mentorship initiatives with us. If you know of a successful practice or would like to share tips from your experience, email us at eu-diaspora@icmpd,org.

Photo credit: Al Sudaniyah Mentoring. A photo taken at the 2019 Graduation Ceremony, with the mentees, mentors and ASM team celebrating the achievements of the mentees.