Mentoring relationships have been linked to greater job satisfaction and professional development, reduced turnover and even mental health benefits. ELFA members will soon have a new tool to help forge those all-important relationships between mentors and mentees.

This spring, the association is unveiling Mentor Match, a user-driven online tool that helps automate matching mentors and mentees. The tool allows those professionals in search of a mentor to access a database of members who have volunteered to be mentors. They can customize their searches using specific criteria like experience or specialization. Prospective mentors can also search for potential mentees who have registered with the service. Mentor Match is a benefit of membership and there is no additional charge to use this service.

This new offering is part of a series of new new workplace inclusion resources and initiatives that ELFA is rolling out in 2025. (Read more in the story “Empowering Talent: ELFA announces new workplace inclusion resources and initiatives”).

“This is an exciting opportunity to use technology to expand our ability to match mentors and mentees,” says Eboni Preston-Laurent, ELFA Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.

Mentors and mentees can register through the platform when it goes live. Both are encouraged to fill out their profiles fully to facilitate the best matches. Then, visit either the “Find a Mentor” page or the “Find a Mentee” page to search for possible matches. There, mentors and mentees can review profiles and request that person as a mentor or mentee. Either can accept or decline the request.

The Mentor Match program will also combine current mentoring programs that include those overseen by the Board of Directors and the program currently run by the Women’s Subcommittee. Preston-Laurent says the new platform will help maximize mentoring initiatives and expand outreach opportunities to get more members involved in the mentoring program.

“This new initiative will allow more members to participate as mentors and mentees, which benefits everyone,” she says. Watch for more information about the mentoring program from ELFA.