Abu Dhabi: Women in the UAE, who are unsure about their career paths and are seeking guidance, can now approach a dedicated avenue that pairs them with established businesswomen who will offer feedback and advice as part of the Big Sister/Little Sister Mentoring Project.
An initiative of the Women's Excellence Group (WEG), the project is organised by the Abu Dhabi International Centre for Organisational Excellence (ADICOE) and the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ADCCI). It is held under the patronage of Shaikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Pilot run
"This is the first cross- cultural mentoring project to be done outside a working environment. We have already paired up 43 Big and Little Sisters for a three-month pilot run... Each pair has been assigned a liaison officer who will be a point of contact for anything they may need.
"Additional workshops have also been created that allow our members to explore different avenues throughout the programme," Annette Burke, Chair of WEG and Director of Executive Education at the ADICOE, said.
The project was inaugurated yesterday at the Zayed University where mentors and mentees began interacting through a series of specially-designed activities meant to foster dialogue between them.
"This is the first time I have participated in such an event and I'm looking forward to helping my Little Sister... I feel that for many graduating students, they aren't provided with enough work skills, networking opportunities or mentoring progammes that can help them as they start out in their careers.
"Projects such as this are a wonderful opportunity for us to impart our knowledge and experience to those seeking a career in our fields," Mahasen Al Mahasneh, Career Development Coordinator, Student Affairs Department, Al Hosn University, said.
Fact file
For those interested in being a part of the Big Sister/Little Sister Mentoring Project, contact Kauther Al Jabry, WEG Secretary on 02 657 3642 or e-mail K.aljabry@ioe.ae
