ABOUT:
Organisation Name: Climate Bridges
Official Website: climatebridges.org
Official Mentoring Website:
be-one-mentoring.oneuponedown.org
Industry: Climate Action / Environmental Leadership
Location(s): Global
oVERVIEW:
Climate Bridges is a global non-profit organization dedicated to strengthening human connections and collaboration within the climate movement. By cultivating trust, empathy, and mutual support across diverse communities, Climate Bridges empowers individuals to engage more effectively in climate action. Their initiatives center around mentorship, relationship-building, and collective learning to drive systems change for a livable, just future.
tHE CHALLENGE:
Before engaging with OneUpOneDown, Climate Bridges ran a small pool of mentors and mentees. After the first cohort in 2023, they saw an enormous interest of running a bigger mentorship pool so they needed a technology solution to help them scale. A solution that could facilitate meaningful connections between individuals at different stages of their climate journey, while ensuring the mentorship experience nurtured long-term growth, confidence, and leadership capacity.
Pain Points:
- Limited infrastructure for efficiently matching mentors and mentees at scale.
- Difficulty ensuring mentorship matches reflected diverse lived experiences, regions, and expertise areas.
- A need for ongoing support, tracking, and insights to nurture engagement and programme impact.
THE SOLUTION:
Climate Bridges partnered with OneUpOneDown to design and launch the Be One Mentoring Programme, a scalable, data-driven mentorship platform rooted in whole-person mentorship principles. OneUpOneDown’s technology aligned with Climate Bridges’ commitment to fostering trust, empathy, and diversity in the climate movement.
Implementation Process:
- Programme Launch: The Be One Mentoring Programme was launched globally, inviting participants from across continents to apply and engage.
- Intelligent Matching: Leveraging OneUpOneDown’s sophisticated matching algorithm, mentors and mentees were paired based on skills, experiences, values, and personal growth goals.
- Ongoing Support: The platform provided a seamless experience for participants, including automated match management, feedback collection, and access to mentorship resources to strengthen the relationships formed.
THE RESULTS:
24
participants in 2023
452
participants in 2024
77
countries around the world
218
matches
completed
1783%
increase of participation
Matching Insights:
- 26% of participants chose to be both a mentor and mentee, demonstrating their desire to learn and develop themselves and give back.
- 12% of participants were available to mentor more than one mentee which helped to create a well-balanced pool and demonstrates how strong and supportive this community is in their willingness to give back.
- 18% of participants were mentors, who were granted official certificates for their outstanding contributions to the Climate Bridges Mentorship Network.
- Most popular reason to sign up: For women-focused mentorship
Measurable Outcomes:
- Global Reach: The programme successfully connected participants from over 77 countries, building a vibrant, international mentorship network within the climate space.
- Diverse Matches: Matches brought together individuals from diverse backgrounds, fostering rich cross-cultural learning and collaboration.
- Participant Engagement: High levels of engagement were recorded across matches, with mentees and mentors reporting increased confidence, knowledge-sharing, and expanded networks.
TESTIMONIALS:
I also had the honour of being a mentor for several mentees over the years. It has been a transformative experience, and sometimes a life-changing process. Many have become close friends.
Mentoring is more than just having an open and authentic conversation. It is about having the courage to listen to each other with an open heart of compassion and care, and realizing together what is true, what is real and what is needed to pursue a more meaningful life and career path dedicated to the common good.
When we feel fully aligned as One, first within our inner body, mind and spirit, and then with the outer world around us, being One with the Earth, we can fully flourish as a person and as a community of practice, working as One team for One Earth.
As we face the climate emergency, the Be One Mentoring platform provides a unique space of reconnection and resilience to help climate leaders, - women and youth in particular-, to survive, live and thrive, nurtured by a strong sense of community, solidarity and belonging to the Earth, as our only One Home."
Courtney, Mentor & Mentee
“The experience with my mentor was so revitalizing, confidence-boosting, and nurturing! She really took an interest in me and my work, as well as my personal life, goals and achievements. I felt a genuine connection that I look forward to continuing in the future. Thank you so much for matching us!”
Janet, Mentor
“I am pleased to be part of the inaugural Mentor Program of Climate Bridges. As a global professional, I have been matched with a Mentee who is continually curious about how she can see, learn and relearn new ways and approaches to support her career in sustainability and climate. In this I support her development.”
Veronica, Mentor & Mentee
“Thanks to Climate Bridges and OneUpOneDown, I've met my mentor who helped me develop rock solid self confidence that has transformed my life.”
Maria, mentor
“I felt lucky being able to empower other women to take a step forward in their climate leader journey”
