Welcome to the Reciprocal Mentorship Program Framework and Toolkit. This toolkit is designed for organizations exploring, designing, launching, and evaluating a structured reciprocal mentorship program.
The resources are organized into four phases that reflect the general lifecycle of a mentorship program. However, implementation is not always perfectly linear. Some resources—especially readiness, trust, sponsorship, and evaluation tools—should be used early, before your organization decides whether or how to launch.
For a guided step-by-step process, start with the Launch Pathway.
To browse all materials, use the phase sections below.
Here's how to navigate the guide:
Phase 1: Program Overview & Advocacy Use this phase when you are building the case for reciprocal mentorship, clarifying the purpose, or preparing leadership conversations. These resources help explain the model, connect it to organizational priorities, and support stakeholder buy-in.
Phase 2: Program Planning & Setup Use this phase when you are assessing readiness, designing the pilot, selecting participants, and preparing the operating structure. Some tools in this phase—such as the Organizational Readiness Checklist and Trust Assessment—should be reviewed early to determine whether the organization is ready to proceed.
Phase 3: Program Delivery Resources Use this phase when the program is ready to launch or actively running. These resources support participants, liaisons, coordinators, and sponsors throughout the mentorship experience.
Phase 4: Evaluation & Continuous Improvement Use this phase to measure impact, capture learning, report outcomes, and improve future cohorts. Evaluation planning should begin before launch, even though many evaluation activities happen during and after the program.
This toolkit is designed as a flexible resource that organizations can adapt to their own needs. All of the materials can be copied, customized, and branded to align with your organization’s style, culture, and program goals. Templates, questions, and visuals are meant to be tailored so they reflect your initiatives, priorities, and ways of working.
You can explore the toolkit in two ways: