WiL has provided its members with a strong added value at European level, by enabling discussions with EU Commissioners or members of the EU parliament. In 2009, we are launching the Mentoring program, which reflects the overall positioning of the WiL network since it is: Open (both specific and diversified target groups of mentees), Transversal (mentors with different and complementary backgrounds) and Focused on enabling young women to step up in leadership in the information society.

In 2009, the mentoring program is launched experimentally, with the objective to form 10 pairs of mentors/mentees, within 2 distinct groups, one with mentees who are students, the other one with mentees who have entrepreneurial projects. Mentors include senior executive women, both from the public and the private sector who all share the will to enable young women to move forward. On June 3rd, mentees will be able to meet their mentors.

Claudine, as project coordinator, is developing, assessing and adjusting the processes based on regular contacts with mentors and mentees. So far. this has involved supplying both mentors and mentees with information such as guidelines, sketching out of the type of agreement that can be developed between both. It will later on involve monitoring progresses and gathering feedback from participants to determine how to move from an experimental pilot program to a fully fledged program as of 2010.