March is the annual celebration of Women's History Month. The Month encourages the celebration of the contributions, achievements, and struggles of women throughout history and modern society.  It looks to correct historical omissions, celebrate diversity, and promote gender equality.  It also aims to empower future generations and highlight the diverse, crucial roles women play in society.

The theme for 2026’s Women’s History Month is “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.”  This theme honours women who are driving, rebuilding, and reimagining systems for environmental, economic, and social sustainability.

One of the ways women can drive, rebuild and reimagine systems is through mentoring – being a mentor and having a mentor.  So this month, we would like to encourage women to step forward and ‘lead the change’ by becoming a mentor.

Mentoring has so many benefits for the mentor and mentee, including providing professional and personal growth for both. So, what stops women from becoming a mentor?

• Time is one of the biggest reasons. Women are more likely to be balancing demanding multiple roles, not just in the workplace but also at home and caring for children and/or elderly parents. Our mentoring platform allows you to schedule sessions easily, all in one place, so you can ensure it fits within your professional and personal schedule.

• Studies have shown that menopause severely impacts bandwidth including cognitive capacity, energy, and work performance, with 67% of UK working women aged 40 to 60 reporting negative effects.  This can prevent women from wanting to take-on the burden of thinking and possibly worrying about the mentee’s journey.

• There can also be a fear that mentoring is an open-ended commitment and bandwidth cannot be underestimated, particularly for those who may be suffering hormone fluctuations/reductions. The platform gives you the flexibility to agree on timelines and commitment levels at the start of your mentoring relationship, with open communication encouraged throughout to keep sessions adaptable.

• Imposter Syndrome – the publication Psychology Today suggests that 70% of us, regardless of gender, will feel imposter syndrome at some point in our lives.  However, the journal Current Research in Behavioral Sciences published a systematic review of decades of research into imposter syndrome, which showed that women consistently scored higher on measures of imposter syndrome. That’s exactly why the platform is designed to strengthen your confidence from the inside out. It develops your coaching, communication, interpersonal and leadership skills in a structured, supportive way, helping you buiild the self-belief and practical capability to challenge imposter feelings and step into your expertise with clarity and assurance. You’ll also gain high levels of satisfaction and fulfilment from investing in a mentee and supporting their growth and development

   

• In many business sectors there is a shortage of women in senior roles, and as a result there are fewer available mentors. An article for Forbes Coaching Council which considered why some women may be disinclined to mentor, also suggested that women may be more likely than men to focus on their current role, rather than their long-term career aspirations, ie. working diligently in the here-and-now, rather than networking and grabbing projects which will help accelerate their careers, including being a mentor to others.

• Mentoring supports career advancement through building your reputation as a leader and expanding your professional networks. Becoming a mentor will encourage you to reflect on your own career, knowledge and skills and consider the next steps in your own careers, whilst encouraging mentees to do the same.

This Women's History Month, we are asking all women, particularly women of colour, LGBT+ or disabled women, to consider the importance of your voice as a mentor. A female mentor has so much knowledge and so many skills and contacts, to support a mentee, helping them to grow and develop. 

Sometimes, all it takes is one conversation to change the direction of a career. Whether you’re looking for guidance or ready to share your experience, mentoring is a powerful way to grow and help others grow with you.

Join the mentoring platform today and take a confident step forward in your leadership journey.