Today, the first mentoring programme for women in CSDP Missions was completed with a closing workshop that brought together mentors and mentees to reflect on their experiences during the seven-month pilot programme.

The closing event was opened by the CoE’s Director Volker Jacoby who welcomed the participants and thanked the mentors and mentees for their active participation and noted that the successful completion of the mentoring programme – conducted together with CPCC - was a milestone for the CoE. It was the first extensive engagement of the CoE with the civilian CSDP missions. Fifty women and men from nine civilian CSDP missions had participated in the mentoring programme.

Mentors and mentees exchanged their main professional and personal takeaways and learnings from the programme in an interactive session guided by inclusive leadership coach Lena Moll.

The overall feedback was overwhelmingly positive, both mentors and mentees highlighted how much they benefitted from the interactive thematic workshops and the bilateral exchanges. A few reflections from the participants of the programme included:

“It made me more aware of my leadership skills and experience, and thus has contributed to increasing my own confidence."

“My mentor helped me understand so many things! And I enjoyed feeling connected to committed colleagues in other Missions.”

“It was so rewarding to see someone else progress as a result of my support. And at the same time to develop my own leadership and thereby build my own confidence."

“I gained more insight into my own motives for doing this work; I learned from others’ experiences and struggles, gained more insight into the field of work and can now make more conscious choices that affect my work and private life."

A survey conducted among the participants further highlights the positive overall feedback the programme received:

Taina Järvinen, Seconded National Expert at the CoE, Lina Andéer, Gender and Women, Peace and Security Advisor in CPCC and Lena Moll, Programme Facilitator, who have conceptualised the programme, also expressed their gratitude to all the participants. The CSDP Women’s Mentoring Programme will be continued with a new mentoring programme planned for 2022 Stay tuned!