Role of mentoring for women in the Canadian Armed Forces

Abstract

LAY SUMMARY In Canada, mentoring has been used in the armed forces to support women’s careers and personal development, but there is little evidence that the unique experiences of being a woman in the military have been considered in mentoring efforts. The current study aims to find reasons why servicewomen are using mentorship in the Canadian Armed Forces and to identify the gender and cultural factors that may play a role in those mentoring experiences. This article presents some of the findings from 28 interviews that explored the experiences of mentorship for women in the military. For women, career development advice includes learning how to manage personal responsibilities along with career objectives. Women are also looking for support to address issues related to gender and military culture, kinship and visibility, and surviving sexual trauma in the workplace. The current study provides a foundation for ongoing research and forms a basis on which future mentorship work can be built.