What are Tech Women Mentoring Circles?
Our mentoring circles are all about bringing people together to make new connections in their community.
We are facilitating groups of six mentees and two mentors to meet on a regular basis, in a safe and supportive environment, to discuss professional aspirations and challenges, with peers and senior mentors.
We’re seeking both participants AND facilitators.
Considering the facilitator role? Perfect for you if you have experience with:
- Leading group discussions
- Including quieter voices in conversations
- Keeping meetings focused and productive
- Creating safe, welcoming environments
- Supporting women in their tech careers
Being a facilitator is an incredible opportunity to give back while further developing your leadership skills!
Registrations for the 2026 programme will open later this year (locations and dates to be announced). Join Tech Women or contact us to ensure you’re notified when registrations open.
Who it is for:
Business and technology professionals who are Tech Women members.
What it is:
- Facilitated peer group mentoring
- Group discussion of non-technical aspects of career development, with discussion topics chosen collectively by the group
- Participants benefit from diverse perspectives and insights from peers with varying levels and roles
- Networking with new people, creating a support network of local women in technology – it’s great to see mentoring circle participants reconnect at industry events
- Facilitators improve their skills and support the whole group simultaneously
- A conversational style of mentoring that’s less formal than one-on-one
- A wide variety of topics will be covered
- An experience where you get out as much as you put in
What it is not:
- Formal or structured
- One-on-one coaching
- Mentoring training (e.g. tools/techniques for mentoring)
- Technical training/coaching
- Mentoring for students (see our high school program – ShadowTech, for that)
Benefits of a Circle:
- Mentees benefit from multiple mentors
- Feedback from peers as well as a mentor will provide the mentee with more diverse points of view and a variety of insights
- It will create a support network with local women in technology
- The group context will create opportunities for teamwork/collaboration on issues
- A circle will create a conversational style of mentoring which is less formal than one-on-one
- A wide variety of topics will be covered
Background
We recognise that there are different kinds of challenges and biases that women face across the globe. With a focus on women in tech, we’re dedicated to providing the resources women need to successfully drive their career. Rather than a formal mentorship matching programme, which can be challenging in a population of New Zealand’s size, we’d like create relationships that will provide women with the knowledge, experience, and perspectives that they need to grow and develop.
A Harvard study of 45 CEOs found that 84% of CEOs credited having a mentor relationship with helping them avoid costly mistakes and becoming proficient in their roles faster. Regardless of your level within the organisation, effective mentoring doesn’t just happen. It relies on you investing in yourself throughout the process.
We currently have approximately 30% female representation within the tech sector in New Zealand, so we have a way to go to achieve diversity in regard to gender. We believe there needs to be an additional focus on supporting this group. This initiative links closely with the Tech Women New Zealand goal to help Kiwi women to succeed in the tech sector by creating connections, increasing knowledge and supporting growth.