Our Way Forward · Mentor and mentee applications are open now
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.
Not able to complete this application online? Contact us at info@empowerem.ca and we’ll help you apply another way.
What you share here stays private. Your application is only seen by our team, and mentorship sessions are confidential. We don’t share what you say without your permission.
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 are open now through October 31, 2026, and are reviewed as they come in.
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 over 24 weeks, scheduled around your availability
- ·About 1 to 2 hours a week of your time
- ·Receive an honorarium at the end of the program for your time
- ·Matched by cultural context and lived experience
- ·Onboarding and support provided
- ·Access to all community events throughout the round
- ·Open to women of colour living in Ontario
“I'm so impressed by how intentional the mentor/mentee matches are... I've learned a lot from the mentees I've been matched with.”
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.
Outside Ontario? OWF is funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation, so this round is open to Ontario residents. Empower'em Inc. is a federally incorporated nonprofit, and national access is where we're headed. Join our national waitlist and you'll be the first to hear about community access and future rounds.
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.