Practical Tools & Assessment — Building Trust & Cultural Sensitivity
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Practical tools
Building Trust and Cultural Sensitivity
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.
Application for coordinators, mentors and mentees
🧑💼 Programme Coordinators Application & Checklist
Programme coordinators are responsible for embedding these principles structurally into the mentoring programme:
- Recruitment & Matching: Actively recruit mentors and mentees from diverse backgrounds and ensure matching considers cultural, linguistic, gender, and sport preferences.
- Equity Measures: Identify and remove structural barriers (language, costs, transport) so all mentees can participate fully.
- Training & Support: Provide cultural competence & inclusion training; prepare pairs for sport-based integration.
- Partnerships: Collaborate with inclusive sports clubs and community groups for suitable sessions and opportunities.
- Safe Structures: Ensure policies, communication, and feedback channels foster trust and psychological safety.
✅ Coordinator Checklist
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Recruitment & Matching
Training & Orientation
Partnerships & Accessibility
Policies & Feedback
🧑🏫 Mentors Day-to-Day Trust & Cultural Sensitivity
Mentors are relationship facilitators and allies, putting these principles into practice in their one-to-one interactions:
- Diversity: Embrace differences; ask respectful questions and invite the mentee’s perspectives.
- Equity: Adjust your approach to needs (e.g., use visuals if language is a barrier; meet at a familiar club).
- Cultural Competence: Learn relevant norms around sport, gender roles, communication; adapt accordingly.
- Mutual Learning: Let mentees lead at times—e.g., introduce a sport or activity from their culture.
- Trust Building: Use walks, games, beginner sessions; keep confidentiality and reliability.
✅ Do’s and Don’ts for Mentors
DO
DON’T
📝 Mentor Reflection Prompt
Think of a moment where cultural differences might influence comfort or expectations (e.g., punctuality, feedback style, mixed-gender activities).
- How would you handle this in a way that builds trust?
- How could sport be used to create common ground?
🧍 Mentees (Actors) Building Trust as Active Participants
Mentees (actors) take an active role in their development. Trust is two-way—communicate preferences and participate.
- Diversity: Value your own background; share it openly with your mentor.
- Equity: Communicate needs and challenges clearly to enable support.
- Cultural Competence: Be open to local norms while sharing your own.
- Mutual Learning: Suggest activities you enjoy and take initiative.
- Trust: Engage honestly, give feedback, and join shared activities.
📝 Mentee Self-Check
💡 Example
Samira prefers women-only fitness classes. She shares this early with her mentor. Together they find a local club that offers suitable sessions and attend the first class together. Transparency prevents misunderstandings, builds trust, and leads to regular, enjoyable sessions.
Scenario Exercise (optional)
Scenario: A mentor notices that their mentee often agrees enthusiastically to activity plans but frequently cancels last minute. In her culture, declining invitations is seen as rude; saying “yes” can be a polite way to avoid refusal. She is uncomfortable with mixed-gender gym sessions and didn’t know how to express it.
- What could the coordinator have done structurally?
- How might the mentor approach the conversation to build trust?
- What can the mentee do to express needs?
Assessment · Knowledge Check
Select the best answer. You may Reveal or Reset the quiz.
1. Best first step to build trust across cultural differences?
2. Which coordinator action best reflects equity?
3. What best describes mutual learning in MOTM?
4. A mentee keeps cancelling sessions. What should the mentor try first?
5. Why is sport central in MOTM?
Final Reflection
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