Testimonials 2025
Mentoring Testimonials 2025
In 2025, the AASW Mentoring Program matched 217 mentor-mentee pairs. Since its inception, the program has facilitated 1,253 mentoring pairs – with an impressive 98% of participants saying they’d recommend the program to a fellow social worker.
See what our members had to say about their experience in the 2025 mentoring program.
Feedback from mentors
The mentoring program has been a valuable learning experience for me as a mentor, where I provided support to another social worker by sharing experiences and resources. It was also helpful for me to continue to educate myself with new learning from my mentee. Thank you for a great program!
I was surprised by how well my mentee and I connected professionally - she was really curious to hear my perspectives and insights, and our engagement made me realise that I do have quite a lot of experience and wisdom to share with new social workers.
Growth comes from being willing to venture out of our comfort area. Braving the wilderness of the unknown is powerful: unknown relationship with mentee, unknown areas of need and unknown responses to efforts. Growth happens within before it happens on the surface. A patient and compassionate approach goes a long way with newcomers to the field. Meet people where they at and work from there. My mentee gave me more than I bargained for.
Feedback from mentees
My mentor expanded my understanding of the NDIS framework, positive and active support strategies, and how to balance ethical dilemmas, dignity of risk, and duty of care in real-world contexts. Her practical insights and encouragement helped me strengthen my confidence, reflective practice, and professional identity as a future social worker and PBS practitioner. I’m deeply grateful for her guidance and the program’s meaningful impact on my learning journey.
I am glad I had the opportunity to be in this program because I am now more confident to identify as a social worker especially noting that I am fresh out of college and am currently not employed in the social work field.
I had a very positive experience in the program. I am in the beginning of my social work career and found it extremely valuable to be able to speak to my mentor (an experienced social worker) about how to grow and develop my identity and confidence as a social worker moving forward.
The mentoring relationship is really valuable. In social work, we talk so much about systems and relationships, and we built one. I grew from the experience, and my mentee grew from the experience
I could bring more of my story and my career experience into the mentoring relationship and guide mentees along their career path.
It was nice for me to be able to give something back, to step in, have that journey with them, and play that support and counselling role.