RWSN code of conduct for the mentorship programme

Through the RWSN Mentorship programme for young professionals, the mentor and the mentee agree to conduct themselves in a professional manner and to provide a friendly, safe and inclusive learning experience for both, regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, race, language, political or other opinion, national or social origin, disability, religion or other status. A mentor / mentee may complain to the RWSN Secretariat if they feel that their mentee/ mentor engages in unprofessional or unacceptable behaviour. The RWSN Secretariat may then take any action they deem appropriate, up to and including expulsion from the RWSN Network.

As part of the RWSN Mentorship programme for young professionals, the RWSN Secretariat will act as a matchmaker in order to connect the mentor and the mentee; it is then up to the mentee (young professional) to request meetings with his or her mentor, to make his or her expectations clear, and to get the advice or information needed.
A mentor is a beneficial relationship for a young professional to develop, but there are some things that a mentee should NOT ask of a mentor:

• Find you a job/ internship: Your mentor is under no obligation to help you find a job or internship. This also applies if you are interested in a position in his or her organisation.
• Introduce you to someone at your request: RWSN is a network, and we strive to make connections between individuals and organisations in the water sector. Your mentor may offer to introduce you to someone who could help your career development; however, this is up to the mentor, and the mentee should not request an introduction to a company/ organisation/ individual from the mentor.

Similarly, there are some things that a mentor should NOT ask of a mentee:

• Working for you for free: You should not ask your mentee to do any unpaid work for you, even if it may be of interest to them. Mentorship is purely about providing professional guidance and learning from each other. If there is an internship, a volunteering scheme or a vacancy in your company, then you may of course refer it to the mentee, but they are under no obligation to apply