mentoring for sport and development leaders
A custom programme with NIKE for youth sports & development leaders
Programme ambassadors
“Valuable systemic approach to empowerment.”
BONGANI DUBE, nike mentor
“…much needed change to scale diversity and inclusion in our own networks.”
nike mentor
An obstacle for many under-served communities around the world is the lack of high quality, trustworthy and meaningful relationships.
Nike’s Social and Community Impact team offer a powerful virtual volunteering opportunity, connecting Nike staff throughout EMEA with young change-makers and Sports for Development organizations. The PowerUp Mentoring Programme with SAYes is build to create an equitable playing field for all, and a key part of this is working with communities to remove barriers to shape long-term change. The PowerUp programme leverages strong human connections to help young people reach their potential.
The Powerup programme aims to improve the life outcomes of the mentees, as well as providing inclusive leadership and mentorship skills to the Nike staff that take part.
SAYes thoroughly prepares and supports Nike staff, starting with a fit evaluation to understand if mentoring is the right social activation for them, providing extensive training in advance of the mentoring commencing and via regular touchpoints throughout the program. Selected mentors attend a 24hr training course, and then connect with their mentee for a 9-month period, once a week on a video call. The programme includes monthly workshops, with notable guest speakers like Cheslin Colbe, support groups, masterclasses and networking events for both mentors and mentees.
SAYes Mentoring offers real world experience and scientific excellence in mentoring and behaviour change since 2008. We provide expert training, programming, support, and online tools for virtual volunteering for independent volunteers, companies and governments all over the world.
Our customised Partner Programmes for corporates are built to deliver the skills, values and vision of purpose leadership to business teams, while also achieving powerful employee engagement and social and community impact benefits. Mentoring offers high impact personal and professional growth for mentors and mentees.
Mentors and mentees have access to the latest evidence-based tools, tactics and strategies – alongside courses, workgroups, support sessions, masterclasses and transition support throughout a programme cycle. Mentor mentee matches meet for one-hour a week over a nine-month programme cycle.
An obstacle for many underserved communities around the world is the lack of high quality, trustworthy and meaningful relationships.
Nike’s Social and Community Impact team offer a powerful virtual volunteering opportunity, connecting Nike staff throughout EMEA with young change-makers and Sports for Development organizations. The PowerUp Mentoring Programme with SAYes is built to create an equitable playing field for all, and a key part of this is working with communities to remove barriers to shape long-term change. The PowerUp programme leverages strong human connections to help young people reach their potential.
The PowerUp programme aims to improve the life outcomes of the mentees, as well as providing inclusive leadership and mentorship skills to the Nike staff that take part.
SAYes thoroughly prepares and supports Nike staff, starting with a fit evaluation to understand if mentoring is the right social activation for them, providing extensive training in advance of the mentoring commencing and via regular touchpoints throughout the programme. Selected mentors attend a 24hr training course, and then connect with their mentee for a 9-month period, once a week on a video call. The programme includes monthly workshops, with notable guest speakers like Cheslin Colbe, support groups, masterclasses and networking events for both mentors and mentees.
SAYes Mentoring offers real-world experience and scientific excellence in mentoring and behaviour change since 2008. We provide expert training, programming, support, and online tools for virtual volunteering for independent volunteers, companies and governments all over the world.
Our customised Partner Programmes for corporates are built to deliver the skills, values and vision of purpose leadership to business teams, while also achieving powerful employee engagement and social and community impact benefits. Mentoring offers high impact personal and professional growth for mentors and mentees.
Mentors and mentees have access to the latest evidence-based tools, tactics and strategies – alongside courses, workgroups, support sessions, masterclasses and transition support throughout a programme cycle. Mentor mentee matches meet for one-hour a week over a nine-month programme cycle.
“Valuable systemic approach to empowerment.”
BONGANI DUBE, nike mentor
“…much needed change to scale diversity and inclusion in our own networks.”
nike mentor
SAYes monitors programme rollout extensively, gathering weekly data on number of mentoring sessions, contact hours and challenges. We report quantitatively on this data at 3-month intervals, and provide additional qualitative analysis of meeting challenges and Individual Transition Plan content aggregated by domain. We also request programme ratings and reviews from participating youth partners.
SAYes evaluates programme impact both qualitatively and quantitively, providing a consolidated impact report at project completion. For all programmes we examine quantifiable changes in mentee decision-making and behaviour and the impact thereof on independence and well-being. Additional impact evaluations are available for programmes that introduce novel programme content.
For mentors we measure perceived changes in their approach to social change and their perception of programme impact (i.e., efficacy). We also consider how they may have changed in their engagement with diversity, equality and inclusivity their knowledge and skills of mentorship and transition planning, and any perceived changes in inclusive leadership (including personal and professional growth).
2022 powerup pilot PROGRAMME impact (mentors)
of Nike mentors said “mentoring positively impacted both their personal and professional life.”
FROM the 2022 nike pilot programme EVALUATION
“I feel I am a better manager, more present, aware, and able to ask the right questions. In my personal life, I listen more and keep an open mind,without judgement, trying always to understand the other person’s point of view.”
nike mentor
“I’ve gone from simply blowing with the wind to grounding myself to the plans I make to achieve my goals.”
nike menTEE
“I learnt to be true to myself, take responsibility for my actions, I learnt to sit and talk about the uncomfortable conversations and to stop shifting the blame.”
nike menTEE
Our hope is for you to become a powerful change-maker in society – a balanced and whole individual that inspires your community to reach their full potential. Could that be you?
Mentoring profoundly changes lives. From relationships at home and at work to your sense of fulfilment, purpose, and enjoyment in life, the PowerUp mentoring Programme will help you to design and action your personal transition plan (your life plan). You’ll work at your own pace, with the support of your own mentor, focussed on improving your independence and well-being. Mentoring will help you discover what is next for you in life with a mentor to guide, champion and support you every step of the way.
of Nike mentees said “mentoring positively impacted both their independence and well-being.”
FROM the 2022 nike pilot programme EVALUATION
How does it work?
100% Free (SPONSORED) MENTORSHIP | 100% Online Programme
with SAYes Liaison Teams
Programme Launch event
with special Nike guests
for nine months
to support mentee & mentor in the development of the mentee’s life plan
Online Monthly Masterclasses and Work & Support Groups.
STEP 6
with special Nike guests
Join the official SAYes Alumni Group
Optional Ambassador and Liaison opportunities
nike mentEE
nike mentEE
nike mentEE
On June 8, 2024, at the Shapa Nike Soweto Football Stadium, the SAYes community came together for a dynamic and inspiring networking event, “Social Capital – Investing in Each Other.” Designed to strengthen relationships and equip mentees with essential networking skills, this event brought together current mentees from the PowerUp e-Mentoring programme and alumni from previous years.
Sport is an incredibly powerful vehicle for social change. Through the PowerUp programme, Nike staff are connected with young people who are impacted by and impacting others through sport in their communities. These young leaders and their organisations experience the life-changing impact of one-one mentorships, strengthening their futures and the future of youth sport.
SAYes and Nike recognise that post-programme initiatives are highly valuable and yet often underutilised aspects of social and community impact work. Skilfully crafted, post-programme support, can provide routes to sustainability and, crucially, can leverage the considerable goodwill, lived-experience, knowledge and skills generated within a programme cycle to further social and community impact. This is especially true in mentorship programmes where the generous sharing of perspective, support and social capital often translates into a strong desire to pass on this growth (and opportunity) through both small acts of kindness, as well as through innovative social change initiatives sparked by the experience
The PowerUp post-programme model is focused on fostering supportive communities invested in each other’s growth, and building networks that empower, inspire, innovate and take action. We aim to create lasting impact, continuing the cycle of mentorship and mutual support beyond each year of the PowerUp e-Mentorship programmes.
PowerUp Programme regularly hosts networking events connecting current mentors and mentees with the wider network of PowerUp alumni.
We also engage alumni in ambassador and advisory roles each year improving the next iteration of the PowerUp Programme.
SAYes is committed to bringing the best social change experience to business teams across the globe, and to helping corporate partners improve the impact of their social change investments, tractably, sustainably and at scale. Our Partner Programmes connect your business teams with young people through mentorship, and are built to deliver the skills, values and vision of purpose leadership, while also achieving powerful employee engagement with social and community impact benefits.
