Rolled out

    PC Mentoring

    Guidance for purpose-driven journeys

    IKIGAI Venn diagram showing the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for

    Description

    The Mentorship Program for Purpose-Driven Talents helps young professionals discover their skills, define their goals, and align their aspirations to create job opportunities that fit their career. Through guided sessions, the IKIGAI model, and the support of an experienced mentor, participants find greater clarity in their path and develop the skills to reuse this process and reassess their direction whenever they feel they've lost their way.

    Goals

    • Shift mentees from reactive job-seeking to proactive opportunity creation.
    • Help participants map their IKIGAI across passion, profession, mission, and vocation.
    • Equip participants to craft proposals and action plans for opportunities that don't yet exist.
    • Build a peer network of purpose-driven practitioners supporting each other's journeys.

    Status

    Rolled out
    Live and welcoming new participants.

    Get involved with PC Mentoring

    Whether you'd like to give back as a mentor or grow as a mentee, we'd love to hear from you.

    Languages

    English
    Spanish

    Designed for young professionals at an early stage of their search who want to start a career with positive impact and have limited prior knowledge of the impact sector and international organizations (environmental, humanitarian aid, development).

    Duration

    5 sessions of 45 minutes (typically over 3–4 months), plus follow-up sessions at 6 and 12 months.

    Objective

    Help participants discover their purpose and create opportunities in the impact sector — aligning their talents and passions with what the world needs, using the IKIGAI framework.

    Program structure

    1. Session 1

      Intros

      Objective: Understand the mentee's aspirations and re-evaluate program fit.

      Activities

      • Getting to know each other
      • Program refresh and IKIGAI model overview
      • Reflection on the program proposal and confirm expectations
      • Commitments and agreements

      Key questions: Where are you in your career? What are your expectations? Why are you seeking a purpose-driven job?

    2. Session 2

      What value can I bring?

      Objective: Identify the mentee's natural talents, skills, strengths, and passions.

      Activities

      • Review progress and tasks
      • Revisit skills, talents, and passions
      • Review the IKIGAI model

      Key questions: What can you offer the world that others would value? What inspires or energizes you when thinking about the future? Are there differences between your self-perception and others' views of you?

    3. Session 3

      What the world needs

      Objective: Understand the current context and demand within international organizations. Draft an IKIGAI example.

      Activities

      • Review homework
      • Link talents and skills with potential opportunities and needs
      • Collaboratively develop an IKIGAI example

      Key questions: What have you learned about the value you can bring? Is your contribution clear? What are the needs? Who could pay for the value you contribute?

    4. Session 4

      Finding my IKIGAI

      Objective: Explore IKIGAI opportunities through concrete examples, learn how to prioritize them, and pick one to develop.

      Activities

      • Delve into IKIGAI opportunities
      • Prioritize opportunities based on agreed criteria
      • Select one opportunity to develop
      • Draft an example action plan

      Key questions: What excites you most about your IKIGAI opportunity? What actions will it require to move forward?

    5. Session 5

      My action plan

      Objective: Wrap up the mentorship with a concrete action plan and ensure the mentee can repeat this process independently.

      Activities

      • Review and adjust the action plan
      • Bring potential connections
      • Make any adjustments to the IKIGAI selected
      • Wrap up: summarize what's been done, gather feedback and evaluation

      Key questions: Do you feel equipped to go through this process again? Do you have clear next steps? What additional support will you need?

    Benefits of participating

    Reported by people who have completed the program:

    Discovery of hidden talents

    Identify talents and skills mentees don't always recognize in themselves.

    Clarity of purpose & objectives

    Define professional and personal goals using IKIGAI to align passions, skills, and opportunities.

    Concrete action plans

    Build specific, achievable plans with clear steps to reach life and career goals.

    Inspiration & motivation

    Feel valued and motivated to aspire higher and strive for excellence.

    Confidence & self-assurance

    An environment of trust and openness that helps overcome insecurities.

    Expanded network

    Open doors to new opportunities and collaborations in the impact sector.

    Practical tools & ongoing guidance

    Career-long resources like CV/LinkedIn tips and cover letter templates.

    Managing professional challenges

    Build resilience to face challenges and overcome barriers with confidence.

    Personalized, long-term support

    Mentor accessibility and dedication beyond the formal sessions.

    Holistic decision-making

    Balance strengths and passions with opportunities for more informed decisions.

    Innovation & creative thinking

    Step out of comfort zones and approach careers in fresh ways.

    Mentoring in social impact

    Get introduced to humanitarian organizations and NGOs — crucial for purpose-driven careers.

    Contributors

    What participants and peers say. Click the heading or any card to read all testimonials.

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