What We Do
At heart, we do one simple thing: we connect university students from migrant and refugee backgrounds with people who've already found their footing in industry — and we stay with both of them for the journey.
The gap we're closing
Talent has never been the problem. The students we work with are ambitious, capable, and often the first in their family to study at an Australian university. What they're missing is something most people never have to think about: a network.
A parent who can explain how an industry really works. A family friend who can pass along a CV. The quiet introductions that turn a degree into a career. For students who've arrived as migrants or refugees, those doors simply aren't there to knock on.
So we build the door. A good mentor doesn't just give advice — they hand over the map they spent years drawing, and walk the first stretch of the path alongside you.
What that looks like in practice
Our work comes down to four things that, together, give a student both the skills and the connections to step confidently into their field.
1-on-1 Industry Mentoring
Every student is paired with an experienced professional in their field — matched on career goals, study area, and the things they actually have in common.
Career Navigation
From decoding workplace culture to figuring out a first move, mentors help students make sense of an Australian job market that can feel impossible to read from the outside.
Practical Workshops
Resumes, interviews, LinkedIn, and the unwritten rules of professional communication — the hands-on skills that universities rarely teach.
A Community to Belong To
Mentoring opens the door, but community keeps it open. We bring mentees and mentors together through events, networking, and peer support.
Two groups, one connection
Everything we do brings together two people who each have something the other needs.
University Students
Students from migrant and refugee backgrounds, enrolled at Australian universities, who have the drive to break into their field but not yet the network to do it.
Industry Professionals
People across diverse fields who remember what it's like to start out — and want to give the next generation the leg-up they once needed.
Based in Sydney, supporting students across Australian universities.
How a match comes together
We keep it structured where it matters and flexible everywhere else — so every relationship has the best possible start.
Recruit & Screen
We bring in mentors from a range of industries and screen everyone involved, so every match starts on safe, solid ground.
Match Thoughtfully
No algorithm guesswork. We read every application and pair each student with a mentor whose experience and personality genuinely fit.
Onboard & Orient
Both people start with an orientation covering expectations and how to make the relationship work — no one is left to figure it out alone.
Stay Involved
We check in, share resources, and host events throughout. We don't just make the match — we look after it.
What we ask of each other
Mentoring works when both people lean in. Here's what that looks like from each side — none of it complicated, all of it important.
If you're a mentee
This is your opportunity to make the most of — and getting there asks a little of you in return:
- Show up regularly. Meet your mentor roughly fortnightly for at least six months — consistency is where the real progress happens.
- Come with goals. Whether it's an internship, a portfolio, or just clarity about your industry, bring something to work towards.
- Be honest and proactive. Speak up about what's hard, book your sessions, and tell us if something isn't working.
- Stay open to feedback. Your mentor's advice comes from lived experience — meet it with curiosity, not defensiveness.
- Respect their time. Mentors volunteer their hours. Turning up prepared and on time is the simplest way to honour that.
If you're a mentor
Your time and experience go further than you'd think. Here's how to make the most of it:
- Give a few hours a month. Two to four hours, fortnightly, in person or online — enough to build something real without overwhelming your schedule.
- Guide, don't direct. Help your mentee weigh their options and find their own way rather than handing them a script to follow.
- Open doors where you can. An introduction, an event invite, a name to reach out to — the connections that are hard to make from the outside.
- Share the real picture. Workplace culture, industry trends, and the unwritten rules nobody puts in a textbook.
- Keep it professional. Stay supportive and within healthy boundaries, and lean on our team whenever a question comes up.
The program at a glance
The practical details, in case you're wondering how it all fits together.
Completely free
For every student, always
Fortnightly
Regular 1-on-1 sessions
6+ months
Long enough to build trust
In person or online
Sydney-based, flexible