Mentoring Day 2026. Why does mentoring matter and how is it developing in Poland?

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On October 27 we celebrate Mentoring Day, also known as National Mentoring Day. It’s an opportunity to appreciate people who share their experience, support others’ development and help them discover new opportunities. It’s also a good time to consider how mentoring is changing in organizations and why it is increasingly becoming part of long-term development activities.

At Mentiway we support companies, foundations and universities every day in organizing mentoring programs. Over the last 12 months the number of users on our platform rose from more than 3,100 to over 6,000, and the number of registered sessions exceeded 14,700. This is a good moment to take a broader look at the role of mentoring, its applications and the opportunities offered by a well-designed mentoring program.

In a nutshell

• Mentoring Day (October 27) reminds us of the value of the mentor-mentee relationship for professional and organizational development.
• A well-designed mentoring program supports competency development, succession planning and knowledge exchange in companies and universities.

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• Technology makes it easier to scale and manage mentoring programs. The Mentiway platform centralizes recruitment, pair matching, monitoring and reporting, reducing coordinators’ workload. Contact us for more information: Contact Mentiway

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• Also read related articles:
  • Mentoring as a tool for succession and developing future leaders
  • The impact of mentoring on an organization: what does a mentoring program really deliver for a company?
  • Mentoring program in a company – how to design, implement and develop it? A practical HR guide

What is Mentoring Day and why do we celebrate it on October 27?

National Mentoring Day is an international initiative promoting mentoring and recognising the role of mentors. It is celebrated every year on October 27. Its aim is to raise awareness about mentoring, connect people who want to share their experience with those seeking support, and showcase inspiring mentoring initiatives.

This day serves as a reminder that mentoring is not limited to a single industry, job title, or career stage. It can support people starting their professional lives, professionals developing new skills, future leaders, as well as those who want to change the direction of their careers.

Mentoring Day is also an opportunity for organisations to acknowledge mentors’ commitment, summarise the results of their programs, and consider how to better support the development of employees or community members. However, you don’t need to wait until October 27 to start taking action. Knowledge sharing, conversations about professional challenges, and supporting others in achieving their goals can become part of everyday organisational culture.

Mentoring in numbers. How is Mentiway growing?

On the occasion of Mentoring Day, it’s worth looking at the numbers that show the scale of our platform’s use over the past year.

Over the past 12 months we have supported:

• more than 6,000 users,
• nearly 15,000 mentoring sessions,
• more than 60 mentoring programs.

We see that more and more people are using Mentiway, and the growing number of sessions illustrates the increasing scale of activity on the platform. It’s important to remember that statistics alone don’t tell the whole story about mentoring effectiveness. The number of sessions is not equivalent to the number of completed programs or achieved development goals. However, it does show the scale of activities the platform supports.

Behind each session there may be a conversation about career development, preparing for a new role, building leadership competencies, or finding solutions to a specific professional problem. It is in such conversations that mentoring shows its true value.

Why is mentoring important for the development of people and organisations?

Mentoring is a developmental process based on the relationship between a mentor and a mentee. The mentor shares their experience, asks questions, helps look at a situation from a different perspective and supports the mentee in achieving specific goals. It does not consist of providing ready-made answers to every question. Its strength lies in creating space for reflection, discovering new possibilities and making more informed decisions.

A well-designed mentoring program can support an organization in several areas.

Development of competencies and talents.

Mentoring helps employees develop skills, better understand their strengths and prepare for future professional challenges.

Building future leaders.

A relationship with an experienced mentor can support the development of leadership competencies, preparation for promotion and taking on responsibility for new areas.

Exchange of knowledge and experience.

Mentoring enables the transfer of knowledge that often goes beyond formal training. It also helps build relationships across departments, organizational levels and employee generations.

Engagement and professional development.

The opportunity to work on personal goals and draw on others’ experience can enrich employees’ experience and support their development within the organization.

Supporting diversity and equal opportunities.

Mentoring programs can create space for the development of people who want to break down barriers, strengthen their professional position or prepare for new roles. This does not mean that participation in the program alone automatically guarantees all these outcomes. The program’s objectives, participant preparation, the quality of relationships and the way progress is monitored are all of great importance.

We write more about what benefits mentoring can bring and how to measure them in the articles The impact of mentoring on the organization: what does a mentoring program really give a company? and Mentoring as a tool for succession and building future leaders.

Mentoring program in a company, foundation or university. How to start?

Mentoring Day is a good opportunity not only to thank mentors but also to consider whether mentoring could meet our organization’s needs.

There is no single program model suitable for everyone. A company preparing employees for promotion will pursue different objectives, a foundation supporting the professional development of a specific group will have others, and a university helping students enter the labor market will have yet others.

Regardless of the context, when planning a mentoring program it is worth starting with a few basic steps.

1. Define the goal of the mentoring program. Consider what need the program should address. Is it about developing leaders, knowledge exchange, supporting new employees, succession, talent development, or increasing participants’ career opportunities? A clearly defined goal makes it easier to plan the next stages.
2. Define the participant group. Determine who will be mentees, who can serve as mentors, and what development needs participants have. Based on that, you can set recruitment criteria and rules for participation in the program.
3. Ensure the matching of mentoring pairs. Matching mentors and mentees has a significant impact on how the collaboration unfolds. It’s worth considering, among other things, development goals, experience, competencies and participants’ expectations.
4. Prepare participants for collaboration. Mentors and mentees should know their roles, understand the principles of mentoring, and know how to work on development goals. Educational materials, introductory meetings and tools that facilitate session preparation are helpful.
5. Monitor the program’s progress and evaluate results. During the program it is worth checking whether meetings are taking place, whether participants are following the plan and whether they need additional support. After completion you can summarize participants’ experiences and assess the achievement of the program’s objectives.

If you want to go through this process step by step, check our practical guide to designing and implementing a mentoring program.

How does Mentiway support the organization of mentoring programs?

A mentoring program requires more than finding mentors and pairing them up. The organizer must take care of recruitment, communication, participant preparation, the course of collaboration, and the evaluation of outcomes.

As the number of participants increases, so does the number of administrative tasks. Therefore, technology can be an important support for those coordinating the program.

Mentiway is a platform for organizing and running mentoring programs. It helps structure the stages of the process, from recruitment and matching pairs to monitoring progress and reporting.

It supports, among other things:

• Matching mentors and mentees based on development needs, competencies and other criteria defined by the organizer.
• Organization of the mentoring process, including participant management, communication and access to materials.
• Work on development goals using tools and materials that support mentoring sessions.
• Monitoring the program’s progress, enabling the organizer to better understand developments and respond to emerging needs.
• Summarizing the program through collecting feedback and preparing reports.

At Mentiway we follow the principle Human first, AI boosted. We use technology and the capabilities of artificial intelligence to support the organization of mentoring, but the person and their development remain at the center.

Examples of the platform’s application in various contexts can be found in our case studies:

• international mentoring at BORG Automotive,
• the successful program organized by Sofixit,
• a multi-edition mentoring program at UMK.

Mentoring Day is a good moment to appreciate the relationships that help people grow

27 October reminds us how much can come from sharing knowledge and experience. Sometimes a single conversation helps to clarify career plans. Other times ongoing collaboration over several months enables developing skills, preparing for a new role, or seeing challenges from a different perspective.

In organizations, mentoring can become more than a single initiative. A well‑planned mentoring program creates space for development, supports knowledge exchange and helps build relationships between people.

At Mentiway we want running such programs to be easier, so organizers can focus on what matters most: the participants, their goals and the quality of the process.

On the occasion of Mentoring Day we thank all mentors who share their experience, and those who courageously take on the challenge of their own development.

Do you want to launch a mentoring program in your organization? Discover Mentiway and see how we can support you in planning and running mentoring.

FAQ Mentoring Day and mentoring programs

When is Mentoring Day celebrated?

Mentoring Day, also known as National Mentoring Day, is observed every year on 27 October.

What is mentoring?

Mentoring is a developmental process based on the relationship between a person who shares experience — the mentor — and a person developing their competencies or pursuing goals — the mentee.

What benefits does a mentoring program offer?

A mentoring program can support skills development, prepare future leaders, facilitate knowledge exchange, develop talent and build relationships within the organization. Results depend, among other things, on the program’s objectives, participant readiness and the quality of collaboration.

How to organize a mentoring program in a company?

You should define objectives, identify the participant group, plan recruitment and pair matching, prepare participants and establish methods for monitoring and evaluating the program.

Can mentoring be conducted outside the company?

Yes. Mentoring programs also operate in foundations, associations, universities and other communities. They can support the professional, educational and personal development of various groups of participants.