Five Core Principles of Inclusive Mentoring (MOTM)

Diversity is an asset. Programmes intentionally reflect varied identities and experiences—culture, language, gender, age, ability, and migration journeys. Representation widens what counts as “success” and enriches conversations about goals, challenges, and pathways.

Sport provides a natural environment where hierarchy softens: people move side by side rather than across a table. This invites participation from those who may feel less confident in formal settings or in a new language. When pairs are formed across differences, both sides gain perspective and practical knowledge about navigating everyday life, community resources, and local clubs.

Equity adapts support to different starting points. Rather than treating everyone the same, inclusive mentoring anticipates barriers and removes them—information (translation, plain language), access (costs, transport, childcare), and comfort (women-only options, modest clothing norms, culturally familiar venues).

Coordinators establish structural supports (e.g., agreements with clubs, trial passes, activity maps), while mentors identify pair-specific adjustments. The goal is not to make mentees “fit in”, but to enable fair participation and build sustainable confidence.

Start with curiosity and humility. Norms around feedback, time, gender, and public activity can differ. Mentors check comfort before suggesting activities and avoid assumptions by asking respectful questions. Coordinators back this up with short, practical guidance and inclusive options.

Sensitivity is not about mastering every custom; it is about being open and adaptable so the relationship remains safe and encouraging. Simple communication strategies—slower pace, fewer idioms, visual aids—make a big difference in early trust building.

MOTM reframes mentoring from a one-way transfer to a co-created journey. Both mentor and mentee bring expertise—lived experience, languages, networks, and strengths. Roles can alternate in leading a session: sometimes the mentor introduces a new space; sometimes the mentee proposes an activity they know well.

This reciprocity builds agency and a shared sense of ownership. In sports settings, it might look like trying a dance familiar to the mentee, or jointly choosing a beginner class where both feel comfortable learning together.

Trust is the bedrock. In cross-cultural contexts it takes time and intention. Clarity about confidentiality, boundaries, and expectations lowers anxiety. Shared low-pressure activity—walking, stretching, light games—often opens conversation more naturally than formal meetings.

When concerns arise (e.g., mixed-gender spaces, clothing, or touch in sport), they are discussed early and respectfully, and alternatives are offered. Reliability—showing up, keeping promises, communicating changes—builds credibility over time.