Our Way Forward · Mentor applications open now · Mentee applications open October 1
Ready to join us?
Whether you're applying as a mentee or stepping in as a mentor, this is where it starts. We read every application and respond to everyone.
01
Submit your application
About 15 minutes. Be as honest as you want.
02
We review and reach out
After screening, we'll invite you to a short introduction call.
03
Matching
You're paired based on shared lived experience and cultural context.
04
The program begins
Round 7 kicks off January 2027, with an orientation for all participants.
Two ways in
Pick what fits.
I want a mentor
Apply as a mentee.
You don't need a polished career question or everything figured out. Just show up as your whole self. OWF pairs you with someone who already understands the context.
- ·Six one-on-one sessions with your matched mentor
- ·24 weeks of structured mentorship, completely free
- ·Matched by lived experience, identity, and cultural background
- ·Workshops, socials, and community meetups
- ·Alumni network access when the program ends
- ·Currently open to Ontario residents
Your mentor gets it, because they've lived it too.
Round 7 runs January through June 2027. Mentee applications open October 1 through October 31, 2026, and are reviewed as they come in.
Outside Ontario? We're building a free community for women of colour across Canada, beyond OWF. Join our waitlist to hear when it opens near you.
I want to give back
Apply as a mentor.
You've navigated this world as a woman of colour and kept going. That lived experience is exactly what mentees are looking for. Not a curriculum, a person who's been there.
- ·Six one-on-one sessions with a matched mentee
- ·Matched by cultural context and lived experience
- ·Full onboarding and support provided
- ·Access to all community events throughout the round
- ·Several of our mentors have returned across multiple rounds. Not because they had to, but because the connections built here are real.
Mentor applications are open year-round and reviewed on a rolling basis. We'll reach out to confirm your spot and walk you through next steps.
You'll hear back from our team after we review your application.
Outside Ontario? OWF is currently funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and open to Ontario residents. If you're elsewhere in Canada, you can still express interest through the mentee form and we'll be in touch about community access and future rounds as the program grows nationally. Empower'em Inc. is a federally incorporated nonprofit and national access is where we're headed.
Our impact
Five years of Our Way Forward, in numbers and in celebration.
Want the full picture of what this community has built? Read where we've been, and celebrate how far we've come with us.