The Albanian Mentoring Program, powered by the Illyrian Brains network, aims to connect Albanian students and young professionals from diverse sectors with senior professionals around the world. With two distinct pillars—Professionals to Students (P2S) and Professionals to Professionals (P2P)—the program caters to university students, recent graduates, and young professionals looking to grow in their current field or transition into a new one. This initiative is open to individuals across various industries, creating a dynamic space for career development and professional growth.
The pilot program will focus on the IT sector, given the strong presence of Illyrian Brains professionals in this field. For 2-3 months, 5-10 senior professionals with a minimum of five years of experience in IT will mentor students, young professionals, and those looking to switch careers into the IT field. Each mentor will have a profile on the program’s website, complete with a calendar where mentees can book an initial 10-20 minute online meeting. This first interaction will help both mentor and mentee decide if they are a good match. Afterward, both parties can arrange future meetings at their convenience. To ensure participants make the most of this opportunity, a detailed guideline will be provided. Furthermore, program highlights—including mentors, mentees, and their progress—will be promoted on Illyrian Brains’ social media for increased visibility. Initially, the program will require 1-2 engaged coordinators, with room for expansion as it grows.
Mentees will benefit from personalized guidance, practical industry insights, and career connections that will accelerate their professional development. Mentors, in turn, will have the opportunity to give back to the community, shape the next generation of Albanian professionals, and enhance their leadership skills. The broader Illyrian Brains community will benefit by strengthening its network, increasing visibility, and positioning itself as a hub for knowledge-sharing and career advancement across borders.
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Due to the fact that there is already an IB-Tech group, the first scouting phase has started through polling the group on their experience level.
More information will be shared soon.
Main steps in the process
- Mentor Preparation: At this stage, mentors are introduced to the program, where they learn about the goals and structure of the mentoring process. They meet with the organizers to go over their responsibilities, ask any questions, and confirm their availability to participate.
- Mentee Preparation: Mentees are also introduced to the program. They meet with organizers to understand the mentoring process and outline their goals and expectations. This helps them get ready for their future meetings with mentors and to clarify what they hope to achieve.
- Initial 1-on-1 Meeting: This is the first official meeting between a mentor and mentee. During this session, they get to know each other, discuss the mentoring style, set clear goals, and decide on a regular meeting schedule. This meeting lays the foundation for their ongoing relationship.
- Ongoing 1-on-1 Meetings: These follow-up sessions are held every two weeks or as needed. In these meetings, the mentor checks in on the mentee’s progress, helps with any challenges they’re facing, provides useful tools or advice, and adjusts the goals if necessary.
- Final Wrap-Up Meeting: After about three months, the mentor, mentee, and organizers come together for a final meeting. They assess the mentee’s progress, gather feedback on the experience, and officially conclude the mentoring process. Participants may also receive recognition, such as certificates or badges, for completing the program.
Mentoring team follow-up
The mentoring process begins with a compatibility check, where mentors and mentees are paired based on shared goals, interests, and availability to ensure a productive relationship. Through detailed questionnaires or profiles, we aim to align expectations and working styles for the best match. After the pairing, regular status checks help track progress toward the mentee’s objectives, involving both the mentor and the program organizers. These check-ins serve to evaluate progress, address any challenges, and make adjustments to goals or strategies as needed. After the program, continuous follow-up can be done to see what was the impact of the mentoring, and whether the relationship has continued.
Timing consideration
The current timing for each phase of the program is based on an initial framework, with specific timeframes set for different milestones—such as pairing mentors and mentees within a month, holding the first 1-on-1 meeting within two weeks, and having regular follow-ups every two weeks thereafter. However, this is an initial version of the program, and we anticipate that as it progresses, we may need to adjust the timing to better accommodate the needs of participants. Flexibility will be built into the process, and the structure may evolve to ensure the most effective and productive mentoring experience.
References
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Ky propozim ka kaluar, edhe nje grup pune eshte krijuar.
Te angazhuar:
- @ariona.jupi - eksperience me mentorimin, definimi dhe ruajtja e kuadrit (scope)
- @pomodoren - mbeshtetje per aplikimin e programit ne IB-Tech, toolkit
- @Isiona - mbeshtetje kryesisht per capacity development, dhe shume pika te tjera
- @AthinaDodbiba - mbeshtetje per adaptim per komunitetet e tjera te praktikes
- @Merita - mbeshtetje me skills matrix
Te hapur per profesioniste te tjere ti bashkohen grupit! 
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