Key Principles of Inclusive Mentoring through Sport (MOTM)

Mentoring programmes intentionally involve mentors and mentees from diverse cultural, linguistic, gender, and ability backgrounds, recognising diversity as an asset. Pairing across differences creates opportunities for mutual learning and broader perspectives. Through sport, shared activities help people from different backgrounds interact in a non-hierarchical and informal way, promoting belonging and shared identity.

Inclusive mentoring recognises that not all mentees start from the same position. Systemic barriers—such as language challenges, unfamiliarity with local structures (e.g., clubs), discrimination, or economic constraints—can prevent some groups from benefiting fully. Equity means providing tailored support to address these barriers so that everyone can access opportunities.

For example, this might involve accompanying a mentee to their first sports club session, negotiating free trial periods with clubs, or adapting meeting formats to suit cultural needs.

Inclusive mentoring requires awareness, curiosity, and respect toward different cultural and personal contexts. Mentors, mentees, and coordinators recognise that norms around gender, communication, sport participation, or modesty may differ. Cultural competence involves listening first, adapting where needed, and ensuring that activities and interactions are comfortable and respectful for everyone.

Inclusive mentoring is not a one-way transfer of knowledge. Both mentor and mentee are learners and contributors. Each brings experiences, skills, and perspectives that enrich the relationship. In a sports setting, this might mean trying an activity familiar to the mentee’s culture, or the mentee taking initiative in suggesting a club activity they feel confident in.

Trust underpins everything. In cross-cultural contexts, trust-building may require more intentionality and time. Mentors and coordinators create spaces where mentees feel safe to express concerns, including those related to bias or cultural discomfort, without fear of judgment. Sport can accelerate this process: shared physical experiences, informal interactions, and teamwork often foster trust faster than formal meetings alone.

Trust and cultural sensitivity are the foundation of inclusive mentoring in the Mentor on the Move (MOTM) approach. Without trust, mentees may hesitate to share their real goals or challenges. Without cultural sensitivity, trust cannot be established across differences.

For migrant and refugee women and girls, building trust often takes more time and deliberate action. Differences in language, cultural norms, communication styles, or previous experiences of exclusion can affect how safe and understood someone feels. Mentoring relationships that acknowledge and respect these differences create spaces where mentees feel seen, valued, and willing to engage.

Sport plays a powerful role in this process. Shared movement — whether walking side by side, attending a club activity, or playing together informally — often lowers conversational barriers, fosters camaraderie, and helps trust grow naturally. At the same time, cultural sensitivity ensures that the activities chosen and the way they are conducted feel respectful and welcoming to everyone.