About the Mentorship Program
The mentorship program started in 2020 in response to COVID-19 and the need for online education opportunities for aspiring humanitarians. Participants from all over the world came together in a collaborative digital space to share their experiences and ideate imaginative new solutions as the world stood still, but the need for humanitarian interventions multiplied.
Our mentor team comes from all over the globe with experience in humanitarian and activist spaces, nonprofit and for-profit sectors, and many have lived experience as forcibly displaced people.
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Mentors and participants have contributed to the ongoing development of the curriculum and the co-leaning process that is at the center of our program philosophy.
Since our initial cohort of over 100 participants, the program has evolved into a radical anticolonial tool advocating for a paradigm shift in the way we view and address humanitarian action. Our mentorship programs have been geared towards not only shifting narratives around power and agency, but also lowering barriers to engage in humanitarian work.
Thanks to support from incredible donors and hundreds of volunteer hours from our team, the program has celebrated five cohorts and is now offered in English, Spanish, and Arabic. To keep our program accessible to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, our program is "pay what you can" whether you choose to barter a skill or pay the amplifying participation fee that feeds back into the organization!
Throughout the program, participants will be given the opportunity to explore the following areas of the nonprofit and humanitarian sector:
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The history of colonialism in forced displacement and the humanitarian response
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How the language we use shapes our identity, the way we understand, analyze and interpret the world around us, and how we interact with it
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Dissecting industrial complexes and the roles they play in forced migration, structural violence, and the humanitarian and nonprofit response
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Exploring decolonized knowledge systems, knowledge-sharing, and arts-based research methods
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Accompaniment and mutual aid as tools in the humanitarian and nonprofit sector
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Planning, assessment, implementation, and evaluation of interventions with human-centered frameworks
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Leadership development and professional networking opportunities with like-minded people from various sectors
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Individual and collective wellness practices through an anticolonial lens
"I participated in In-Sight’s 10-week mentorship program between January and April 2024. For me, the program was a life-changing journey, as it did not only introduce me to concepts and models for human-centric solutions in the humanitarian sector, but it also challenged me in the most constructive way by providing opportunities to explore new perspectives, brainstorm with a great group of co-learners, and reflect on new knowledge. The In-Sight team is immensely committed to making the world a better place, and this is evident in their empathy, kindness, and hard work. Given that being humanitarian is not a nine-to-five job but a way of living, I would recommend this program to anyone who is ready to make a change, starting from within."
Program Theory
In-Sight Collaborative’s mentorship program is designed to provide an accessible and welcoming introduction to leadership in the humanitarian sector with continuing opportunities to refine leadership skills.
The humanitarian sector is one of the most diverse and intersectional sectors in the world. Unfortunately, it is also wrought with colonial and supremacist mentalities that create a culture of exclusion in both humanitarian education initiatives and sector careers. Difficulty in accessing educational and career opportunities in the humanitarian sector leaves out vital perspectives and voices, oftentimes from those most impacted by humanitarian crisis, and perpetuates harmful practices and narratives within the global humanitarian response.
We believe that anyone with the right mindset and a willingness to engage can be an effective part of the humanitarian response from any background, profession, or sector.
Our mission is to cultivate future humanitarian leaders by giving them the tools, resources, and professional network that they need to participate in the sector in a meaningful way.
Listen: Participants move through written content, videos, and an interactive lecture each week of the program. Participants are also exposed to co-learning experiences in their focus group meetings where they can listen to their mentors and peers.
Reflect: Participants move through weekly activities that encourage them to reflect on the weekly material and how they can contextualize it in their own lives. These reflections are submitted as assignments, posted to a forum, or shared in the focus group meetings.
Act: Participants are encouraged to apply their learning and reflections in their own contexts whether that is work, school, volunteering, or their personal lives.
Repeat: Our program encourages participants to apply these thoughtful and reflective learning models to all areas of their lives!
Program Structure
The mentorship program is 100% online and mostly asynchronous to accommodate participants from various regions. The weekly live focus group meeting is typically held on Zoom, but focus groups can choose an alternate platform if it better accommodates participants. Participants will move through a six or ten-week course where they are introduced to the history of the sector, current trends, problems, and innovations in the humanitarian sector. For the duration of the program, participants are mentored by In-Sight Collaborative and our partners through problem-solving and reflection activities and are encouraged to share their thoughts with their mentors and peers in live interactions over Zoom and in the program forum.
The mentorship program is hosted on Moodle, which is available in most regions and can be downloaded to use offline. Closed captioning is available for live offerings such as lectures and focus group meetings and participants are encouraged to use the chat feature on Zoom if they are unable to speak during live sessions. In previous cohorts, we have welcomed participants from all backgrounds, geographic regions, documentation status (undocumented, asylee, stateless), and those who identify as physically or intellectually impaired or disabled.
Weekly Program Content on Moodle: Each week will have program content available on the Moodle. The content will be a combination of written materials, videos, and sometimes podcast or audio files. Rather than using weekly learning outcomes for the material, our program uses a series of questions at the start of each week that guide the participants exploration of the materials and prepare them for their reflection activities and focus group meetings.
Weekly Focus Group Meetings: Focus group meetings are facilitated by two mentors and are an opportunity for participants to talk through the program materials with their mentors and peers. Mentors will come prepared with discussion points for the meeting, but focus groups are intended to follow whatever format participants need to support their learning that week!
Once accepted to the program and upon completion of the pre-program requirements, participants will select their focus group. Attendance in a weekly focus group is mandatory throughout the program. Ample opportunities to make up missed sessions due to planned or unanticipated life events will be provided throughout the program. Participants can also attend other focus group meetings as guests if they want to meet other people and experience different mentors!
Weekly Lectures: Every Tuesday, the In-Sight team will run a lecture session which elaborates and contextualizes the material from the weekly content. The lectures are designed to be interactive and tie into the reflection activities and focus group discussion points for the week.
Weekly Activities and Other Assignments: Each week participants will complete one reflection activity related to the material. This may be in the form of a form submission, forum post or worksheet that they share in their focus group meeting. At the midpoint of the program, participants will be asked to submit a midterm creative project that is a reflection of what they have learned so far and how they feel about it. All of these activities are reflective, unstructured, and are not graded. They are intended to promote critical thinking and imagination for participants.
Guest Speakers: Guest speakers will be brought in to elaborate on the program materials. Their presentations are an excellent opportunity for mentees to ask questions and deepen their understanding of certain concepts.
Networking Opportunities: Networking sessions will be offered at various points in the program so that mentees can connect with other participants and mentors and meet members of the In-Sight staff and Board of Directors!
"I absolutely recommend In-sight Mentorship program if you want to learn more about Humanitarian Aid in a critical and decolonial mentality. It does not only teaches the basics of humanitarian aid, but also explains the current trends. It helps to think how to build projects and organizations that will truly help and empower the ones in need. In-sight does a very thoughtful work in this mentorship and I am very glad I pursued it!"
Time Commitment
In-Sight Collaborative's mentorship programs is offered in two versions to accommodate different schedules. The 10-week program is a part-time program that is designed to be done in tandem with other responsibilities like work and school. There is a one-week break at the midpoint for participants to catch up on course material. The 6-week program is a more intense version designed for people to complete between school semesters during summer vacation. While it is not full-time, it takes some organization and discipline to juggle the course load with other responsibilities.
4-6 hours per week for the 10-week program, 8-10 hours per week for six weeks, and a 30-45 minute interview before and after the program
Participants must be able to attend mandatory 60 minute Cohort Meetings for the duration of the mentorship program. Cohorts will be divided based on time zones and the meeting times will be decided by the cohort on the first week of the program.
Pre-Program Module:
Participants who are accepted into the program and have not yet completed In-Sight Collaborative’s mini module on Accompaniment in Migration will be asked to complete the self-paced module before the start date of the program. This module takes about 3-6 hours to complete.
"When I first joined the program, I expected it to be like any other online training. However, it turned out to be something different. The flexibility, engagement, insightful content, and ease of staying on track, along with the incredible network, motivated me to attend as many sessions as possible. I particularly appreciated how the content is up-to-date, offering a well-balanced blend of theoretical knowledge and practical application. Thank you for creating such a human-centered experience."
Cost and Payment Options
Once accepted to the program, participants will be directed to the pre-program requirement module where their payment for the program will be collected. To keep our program accessible to people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, we will ask that program attendees "pay what you can" for their participation. For those who have more financial freedom, please consider that the average cost expended by the organization per participant for the program comes out to around $200 per participant for the 6-week program and $350 per participant for the 10-week program. Higher amounts are welcome and are integrated into the program funding so we can continue this payment model and accommodate participants who do not have the same financial privileges.
The payment for the program is non-refundable, but participants can defer their participation to a later cohort or transfer to a later cohort if they are unable to participate in or complete the program cycle they are accepted to without needing to pay again.
For participants who are unable to make payments online or are not financially privileged enough to pay monetarily, we welcome bartering or trading in the form of volunteering or content creation for the organization. For those who are currently experiencing forced displacement or humanitarian crisis, your participation is 100% free, no questions asked.
"I could’ve never imagined being able to learn so much in such a short period of time, the courses are designed in the most creative way that is very easy to follow and that you truly get to grasp concepts week by week. What is done at in-sight collaborative is incredible and huge credit to all those leading it. I feel so privileged to have come across this nonprofit and grown so much as a result of it."
How can I be a Competitive Applicant?
In-Sight Collaborative looks for thoughtful applications (no AI, please!) that demonstrate a motivation to be an engaged participant in our program. Our mentorship team evaluates the thought and effort the applicant put into the application - we are not terribly bothered by grammar or literacy level. Your application should be intentional and thorough but does not need to be at an academic writing level.
We hope that applicants share a bit about what motivates them to join the program. Career or educational experience is not necessary to be a strong applicant!
If you are asked to interview with an In-Sight team member, please make sure you show up on time and utilize a timezone converter if needed. If life happens and you are unable to make a scheduled appointment or interview time, please communicate with our team as soon as possible.
Testimonials
Eirene
USA
“I've learned so much from the In-Sight Mentorship program. Coming in, I knew very little about refugees or people who are displaced. I'm not an expert now, by any means, but I definitely know more than I did. I met and worked with amazing people from all over the world who are interested in making the world a better place, and got to speak with and learn from a professional in the field I hope to enter into! I've been so blessed to be a part of the program, and cannot recommend it enough!”
I participated in In-Sight’s 10-week mentorship program between January and April 2024. For me, the program was a life-changing journey, as it did not only introduce me to concepts and models for human-centric solutions in the humanitarian sector, but it also challenged me in the most constructive way by providing opportunities to explore new perspectives, brainstorm with a great group of co-learners, and reflect on new knowledge. The In-Sight team is immensely committed to making the world a better place, and this is evident in their empathy, kindness, and hard work. Given that being humanitarian is not a nine-to-five job but a way of living, I would recommend this program to anyone who is ready to make a change, starting from within.
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Muhammad
Nigeria
" I learned from the experiences of some refugees and also those who make research into their issues and those who are directly involved in providing services and succour to refugees. The program was a big eye opener for me as I look forward to an opportunity to volunteer as a humanitarian and also keep open the network created from this training."
Mohammad
Egypt
"For me it was a great experience and an excellent opportunity to be a part of this program because I find it very challenging to gather all these persons with their differences towards an important goal like that, for me I find it a life-changing experience because it helps me to see what I couldn't do."
I could’ve never imagined being able to learn so much in such a short period of time, the courses are designed in the most creative way that is very easy to follow and that you truly get to grasp concepts week by week. What is done at In-Sight Collaborative is incredible and huge credit to all those leading it. I feel so privileged to have come across this nonprofit and grown so much as a result of it.
Esraa
Egypt
"Without this program, I'd have spent my life wondering if I'll ever be able to support humanitarian issues, now I can say that I can".
Stevie
Australia
"I did the summer mentorship program in 2020 and absolutely loved it. I have been engaged on team ever since. In-Sight Collaborative really stands out to me for always trying to better their practice and programs within the humanitarian sector. I found it so interesting to have this program teach me the reality of the aid sector and the challenges posed within it. I would recommend this program to absolutely anyone who is about to be stepping into the humanitarian and aid sector."
In-Sight Collaborative's mentorship program is exactly what the humanitarian space needs. It allows professionals in the field (whether full-time or volunteer or total beginner) to build a network of thoughtful, empathetic collaborators to exchange ideas and learn from one another. The course structure is comprehensive and accessible, with ways to participate synchronously through live classes and weekly focus groups and asynchronous participation through weekly activities, the workbook, and class recordings. A truly international group of folks working to make the humanitarian space better, with humility and open-mindedness. Highly recommend their courses and the mentorship program for anyone looking to enter the humanitarian world, professionals and volunteers, or just anyone who wants to learn more about the space!
Tracy
Netherlands
"I learned that there are so many innovative avenues that you can take when contributing to humanitarian causes and this has really inspired me to become more involved with others to tackle difficult problems in unique ways. For example, I had no idea how important our language is when speaking about the refugee crisis and displaced persons, but now I am able to educate others and begin to make small changes in the way we talk about refugees and migrants."
Michael
Tanzania
“The program has positively impacted me as it was a perfect one. I learned to respect all humans in the world because we all are equal, and not undermine anyone's rights for personal gain.”
I felt very lucky to be part of a program where not only I learned a lot but also had the opportunity to meet like-minded people, listen to people's stories and experiences from the humanitarian sector, and be in a safe space to discuss such important topics as how humanitarian aid and response work and how I can be part of the system while taking steps to improve it
Luana
Portugal
"I want to be aware of what is happening around the world, I don’t want to be another person pretending that everything is ok, when it's not. This program was very challenging and it made me wonder about everything, even about myself."
Si tienes preguntas sobre el programa de mentoría, por favor envía un correo a juanjo@in-sightcollaborative.org
إذا كان لديك أي أسئلة حول برنامج الإرشاد، يرجى إرسال بريد إلكتروني إلى
hadi@in-sightcollaborative.org
If you have any questions about the Mentorship Program, please email team@in-sightcollaborative.org