ECOP mentoring programmes
Geographic Reach
Please find our database of mentoring programmes, specifically for Early Career Ocean Professionals, compiled by the ECOP Programme’s Training and Mentoring Task Team. If you would like to submit a mentoring programme to this list, please contact us.
A link to the Mentorship Programme website is contained in the title of each Programme.
International
 Coalition Wild Global Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | CoalitionWILD |
| Topic scope | Environmental leadership |
| Overall aim | Building collaborative and cross-generational relationships between emerging young environmental leaders and senior conservation professionals. |
| Mentors | Conservation professionals |
| Unique selling points | Ongoing support even after the program is ended and network of 10,000 people |
| Ocean Leadership program / Ecopreneur network |
|
| Organisation | Sustainable Ocean Alliance |
| Topic scope | Blue economy, marine conservation, marine science... |
| Overall aim | Supporting the world's largest global network of Ocean Leaders / Help entrepreneurs launch a for-profit ocean solution for a sustainable blue economy. |
| Mentors | Business, scientists, conservationnists, communication specialists... |
| Unique selling points | More than 200 mentors specialized in ocean issues. |
| Coral Reefs, Fisheries & Food Security Women Leaders Forum |
|
| Organisation | Coral Triangle |
| Topic scope | Coral reefs, marine conservation |
| Overall aim | Build women's capacity in leading marine conservation and sustainability programs |
| Mentors | Senior marine conservation women leaders |
| Unique selling points | Clear and visible information on mentor and mentee (including what challenge/topic each is tackling) |
| Pier2Peer |
|
| Organisation | The Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network |
| Topic scope | Ocean acidification |
| Overall aim | Build capacity to understand, monitor and respond to ocean acidification |
| Mentors | GOA-ON members who are experienced and senior-level scientists |
| Unique selling points | Mentees are allowed to browse through and rank their top 3 mentors they want to be paired. Also, regular peer reviews are ensured and published |
| A ROCHA Marine Conservation Program |
|
| Organisation | A ROCHA |
| Topic scope | Marine biodiversity |
| Overall aim | Protect the biodiversity, restore habitats, build capacity to rasie awareness about pollution & protect coastal areas |
| Mentors | Student leaders, church leaders, conservation experts |
| Unique selling points | Religion- specfically, Christian conservation program |
| Mentoring365 |
|
| Organisation | American Geophysical Union |
| Topic scope | Earth and Space Sciences |
| Overall aim | Increase access and reduce barriers for people pursuing careers in the Earth and space sciences |
| Mentors | Professional scientists |
| Unique selling points | Being able to filter and select a mentor based on preferences, 1 on 1 experience |
| Trevor Platt Science Foundation Online Mentorship Programme |
|
| Organisation | Trevor Platt Science Foundation (TPSF) |
| Topic scope | Marine and Aquatic Sciences (including biology, ecology, chemistry, large-scale observations, limnology, environmental physics, socio-economic and management aspects, etc.) |
| Overall aim | TPSF members who are experienced, senior-level scientists volunteer to provide one-one-one online mentorship to early career scientists and post graduate students in marine and aquatic sciences. |
| Mentors | Senior-level scientists. Also saw a journalist with bloomberg as a mentor |
| Unique selling points | Online one-on-one mentorship programme. Prospective mentees can select up to three potential mentors to be paired with. Details about each mentor are publicly available prior to applying. |
Africa
| The African Marine Conservation Leadership Program |
|
| Organisation | Blue Ventures & Maliasili |
| Topic scope | COVID, Climate change |
| Overall aim | Build capacity to respond to the challenges and impacts created by COVID and climate change and as well to rebuild coastal fisheries. |
| Mentors | 17 influential leaders (from 8 organisations) leading local and national marine conservation |
| Unique selling points | Investing in the community-based organisations to build a movement of talents |
| West Africa Coastal Areas Management Program |
|
| Organisation | World Bank |
| Topic scope | Coastal management and reduction of manmade risks affecting coastal communities |
| Overall aim | Development of coastal management professionals |
| Mentors | Senior coastal management professionals |
| Unique selling points | Holistic approach to offering capacitation: Dialogue and participation among all stakeholders as well as technical and financial support |
| Ocean Ambassadors |
|
| Organisation | African Marine Waste Network |
| Topic scope | Transportation, Trade & Tourism |
| Overall aim | Provide guidance and support to young professionals in the marine sector by connecting them with experienced mentors |
| Mentors | Professionals in the marine science and coastal sector |
| Unique selling points | Developing leadership skills especially with focus on secondary school education |
| Blue Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | Gulf of Guinea Maritime Institute |
| Topic scope | Social entrepreneurships (e.g. aquaculture, shipping and maritime trade) |
| Overall aim | Encourage and support the youth to engage in sustainable blue economy careers |
| Mentors | Senior professionals and industry practictioners in the blue economy sector |
| Unique selling points | Maritime Business Incubator |
| OceanHub Africa Acceleration Program |
|
| Organisation | Ocean Hub Africa |
| Topic scope | Social entrepreneurships, overexploitation, pollution, climate change |
| Overall aim | Address the challenges of global warming, overexploitation and pollution on the ocean through nurturing innovative and environmentally conscious start-ups |
| Mentors | Leading ocean experts and organisations (both in science and business) |
| Unique selling points | Funding up to $10k and service support of about $150k |
| PEER Women in Science Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association |
| Topic scope | Ocean conservation |
| Overall aim | Increase women leadership and participation in ocean science |
| Mentors | Senior-level females especially in academic positions |
| Unique selling points | Mentors and mentees must come as one group already. The program does not do the assigning |
| Blue Economy Youth Africa Hub |
|
| Organisation | African Union Commission |
| Topic scope | Innovative and sustainable use of the ocean for economic growth |
| Overall aim | Support youth entrepreneurship and innovation in the blue economy sector in Africa |
| Mentors | Professionals and industry leaders (mostly youth) championing the blue economy space |
| Unique selling points | Networking, entrepreneurial development and innovativeness. Also, it is youth-led |
| Mentoring for Small Island Developing States |
|
| Organisation | Indian Ocean Commission |
| Topic scope | Marine Pollution |
| Overall aim | Training and mentoring support to young ocean enthusiasts in the small island developing states |
| Mentors | Experienced professionals and industry leaders |
| Unique selling points | Blue Champion Award to facilitate innovativeness |
| Women for Conservation Mentorship |
|
| Organisation | Women for Conservation Zambia |
| Topic scope | Marine & coastal area conservation |
| Overall aim | Provide early career conservationists with conservation knowledge & skills |
| Mentors | 11 senior conservationists from Zambia |
| Unique selling points | Purely virtual |
| Ocean Science for Sustainable Development |
|
| Organisation | UN & Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association |
| Topic scope | Ocean sustainability (various topics) |
| Overall aim | Mentoring and training support for early career scientists and ocean researchers in the Western Indian Ocean region |
| Mentors | Experts in marine science |
| Unique selling points | Research and results- Improving the capacity and capabilities of young professionals enthusiastic about ocean sustainability |
Asia
| Bluepreneur Bootcamp Program |
|
| Organisation | Bluepreneur Asia Ventures |
| Topic scope | Sustainable business solutions answering marine and freshwater problems. |
| Overall aim | To accelerate impactful blue startups in the Asia-Pacific region |
| Mentors | Mentors change every year. Usually founders of startups/companies, NGOs, educators and scientists from Asia. |
| Unique selling points | Large number of professional mentors, winning startups funneled into accelerator program and winner receives financial support. |
| AEYN Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | Asian Environmental Youth Network |
| Topic scope | Climate and sustainability |
| Overall aim | Help members to build professional skills, do self-introspection, and develop their career and activism goals. |
| Mentors | Not very clear, but mostly environmental activists. |
| Unique selling points | 1:1 sessions with the paired mentor. |
| Incubation Network Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | The Incubation Network |
| Topic scope | Waste management and plastic value chain |
| Overall aim | Guidance and support of business to grow startups. |
| Mentors | Industry professionals |
| Unique selling points | More than 145 mentors, support system for startups |
| Asia Water Challenge |
|
| Organisation | The Water Agency |
| Topic scope | Sustainable water management |
| Overall aim | Capacity building program for the next generation. |
| Mentors | Professionals, governments, universities |
| Unique selling points | Large networking platform. |
| East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Inclusive Fellowship Program |
|
| Organisation | World Bank |
| Topic scope | Capacity building for different roles including marine management and water. |
| Overall aim | To introduce a diverse and inclusive group of professionals to the World Bank by providing them specific training and mentoring. |
| Mentors | World Bank staff |
| Unique selling points | Selected candidates will be offered short-term consultancy contracts with the World Bank. |
| Leaders Asia-Pacific program |
|
| Organisation | Obama Foundation |
| Topic scope | Leadership, skillbuilding for social change. |
| Overall aim | To build network, meet experts, grow as a leader. |
| Mentors | Not clear. |
| Unique selling points | After the program's completion, candidates join the Obama Foundation's alumni community. |
| Pacific Greenpreneurs Mentor Program |
|
| Organisation | Global Green Growth Institute |
| Topic scope | Green business |
| Overall aim | To support green entrepreneurs to complete a business plan. |
| Mentors | Green professionals of the Pacific (not clearly specified) |
| Unique selling points | 20 people can win 5,000$ in seed grant funding, curated specifically for Pacific people. |
| Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) |
|
| Organisation | U.S. Mission to ASEAN (Government) |
| Topic scope | Civic Engagement / Economic Empowerment and Social Entrepreneurship / Education / Environmental Issues |
| Overall aim | Launched in 2013, YSEALI is a U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges, and seed funding, YSEALI seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture an ASEAN community |
| Mentors | From all walks of life and various sectors. They share their expertise on specific topics, including civic engagement, sustainable development and natural resources management, entrepreneurship and economic growth. See mentor series: https://asean.usmission.gov/yseali-mentors/ |
| Unique selling points | Approximately 65% of people in the ASEAN region are under the age of 35. YSEALI is an effort to harness the extraordinary potential of youth in the region to address critical challenges and expand opportunities. |
| Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) |
|
| Organisation | East-West Center |
| Topic scope | Sustainable development, public policy, social entrepreneurship and more |
| Overall aim | The East-West Center's Asia Pacific Leadership Program (APLP) empowers emerging leaders. Through place-based, experiential learning and interactions with distinguished faculty and professionals, participants develop crucial leadership skills, cross-cultural understanding, and a deep appreciation for the diverse cultures and contexts of the Asia Pacific region. |
| Mentors | Distinguished faculty and professionals associted with the East-West Center in Hawaii. Peer mentoring |
| Unique selling points | The APLP brings together diverse individuals who want to co-create a future that is peaceful, prosperous, and just. Through place-based learning that is experiential and transformational, APLP fellows practice leadership strategies that enhance personal, team, and community effectiveness. Fellows reflect on what kind of leadership today’s world needs, and build the capacities needed for such leadership. |
| Pacific Islands Leadership program (PILP) |
|
| Organisation | East-West Center |
| Topic scope | Leadership Development Training / Challenges, issues and trends that pertain to the Pacific Islands region |
| Overall aim | PILP is a center of excellence for leadership development in the Pacific region.The program links regional analysis of emerging issues in Oceania with experiential leadership learning and a commitment to practical action |
| Mentors | East-West Center staff. Senior academics and government officials. Peer mentoring |
| Unique selling points | The goal of PILP is to build a network of collaborative leaders dedicated to shaping the future prosperity of the Pacific region by taking informed, effective action |
| 中国-国际海底管理局联合培训和研究中心（JDRC) |
|
| Organisation | China Ministry of Natural Resources & International Seabed Authority |
| Topic scope | Seabed |
| Overall aim | Joint promotion of capacity-building and exchanges in marine science and technology in the field of the deep sea in developing countries |
| Mentors | Professors in related area |
| Unique selling points | Training course for ocean professionals in developing countries |
| The 3rd Ocean science bigdata contest mentoring |
|
| Organisation | Haebomdata Inc. & K-ECOP |
| Topic scope | Ocean Science Data |
| Overall aim | Connecting youth across Korea with Ocean scientists |
| Mentors | Early Career Ocean Professionals |
| Unique selling points | Ongoing support during the contest and 1:1 maching mentoring |
Europe
| Meet a Blue Expert |
|
| Organisation | Youth4Ocean Forum |
| Topic scope | All ocean related |
| Overall aim | Empowering Youth4Ocean Forum members |
| Mentors | Ocean professionals, politicians, etc |
| Unique selling points | Webinar series targeted to ECOPs |
North America
| Blue Futures Pathways |
|
| Organisation | Students on Ice |
| Topic scope | Sustainable blue economy |
| Overall aim | Connecting youth across Canada with education, employment and funding opportunities |
| Mentors | Ocean professionals |
| Unique selling points | Many different opportunities and high-quality partners (Nat Geo, Ocean Decade...) |
| Ocean Allies Mentorship Program |
|
| Organisation | Ocean Allies (in partnership with EnPoint) |
| Topic scope | Ocean industry |
| Overall aim | Ocean Allies helps connect Canada's diverse ocean talents to ocean industry mentors from coast-to-coast-to-coast. |
| Mentors | Ocean leaders in various ocean sectors across Canada (Industry, academia, non-profit and/or government organization). |
| Unique selling points | 1 on 1 mentorship, networking events, wide network of influencial local partners |