Are you a business professional interested in helping others?
Volunteer as a refugee mentor with us!
Choose Your Mentor Journey
Can you use your expertise and experience to impact the life of a refugee entrepreneur?
Whether you want to dive in with ongoing meetings, or if you would like it to be a one-time thing, we have a mentor journey to fit your availability and preferences:
1) Relationship
Build a relationship as an “All-in” Mentor
Deepest impact on a refugee client.
As a mentor, you will be matched with a client who can benefit from your areas of expertise. You will have the opportunity to connect with them, get to know their story, business, plans, dreams, and maybe even their family.
Your relationship will have a significant impact on the client, their family, and their business as you get to know them. You will have the opportunity to help them think through the ins and outs of their ideas, goals, business, family, life in the US, and more. Through regular meetings you will be a valuable part of guiding them towards successful business ownership and beyond.
Commitment and Expectations :
- Matched based on expertise and biggest impact on a client and their business.
- Typically In-person, but flexible.
- Get to know a client well.
- Regularly scheduled meeting cadence averaging 1-2 hour meetings once or twice per month.
- Meeting cadence is flexible, but we do ask that you are consistent with the time commitment agreed to.
- On an ongoing basis or until an agreed end date. Dependent on how you and the client would like to continue.
2) Resource
Be a resource as you support clients on an as-needed basis
Specific impact on refugee clients.
You will be working on an as-needed basis with clients who need help completing projects or tasks related to their business
This could include guiding a client through publishing and website design, sourcing equipment or capital, checking the feasibility of business plan numbers or logistics, a marketing or sales plan, employee training plans, and more.
Commitment and Expectations:
- Matched with a client based on your area of expertise.
- Impact is on a project or needs-basis
- Help clients to solve problems or address tasks they need help with.
- Offer a second set of eyes on a financial analysis or business plan.
- Averaging 2-3 meetings until the project is done or the need is met.
3) Advisor & Advocate
Background/One-Time
Broadest impact on multiple refugee clients.
Without matching with refugee clients on an ongoing basis, you can still have a broad impact on our program and, as a result, the communities we work in.
In this role you have the chance to train our coaches in your area of expertise, help our team with tasks from website design and project management to advocating for us and connecting us with others, or work on a variety of projects that help our BDC team maximize the impact we are working towards.
Or advocate for us to groups and people within your spheres of influence.
Commitment and Expectations:
- 1-time meeting to advise our BDC team, teach us what you know. “Train the trainers” in your area of expertise (ex: financial coaching)
- Background support on technical areas of expertise (Web design, marketing, etc.)
- Ideal for someone who may not have consistent availability but still wants to give back
Mentor next steps & What we ask for:
- Phone interview so we can get to know you better and start to create a best fit
- Complete ILAD’s mentor Time and Talent application
- Pass reference and background check
- Work through asynchronous online training that will familiarize you with who ILAD is, the impact this project is working towards, and what our Business Development Center work is all about
- Your online training and discussion will be provide you what is needed to prepare you to engage with people from other cultures and languages
We ask that relationship mentors stay involved with the client you are paired with for a minimum of 6 months. This helps clients settle into their new life as a small business owner and ensures they have the support around them that will allow for the flourishing we are working towards. This also enables mentors to gain a better understanding of the lives of refugees, building bridges between communities.
When you are ready, submit the form below, select your preferred mentor journey, and we will be in contact.
If you have questions or would like to get more information please reach out using the contact form under the Mentor Interest form.
Volunteer Interest
"**" indicates required fields