How I Found Mentors as a Lost 25-Year-Old (and You Can Too)
One of the hardest things to come to terms with is exactly what Taylor says in Nothing New:
"How can someone know everything at 18 but nothing at 22?"
That’s how I felt.
In high school, I had direction. I had a plan. I knew what I was doing, or at least I thought I did. But somewhere along the line, life got too big to manage. There were challenges I couldn’t have imagined—curveballs that threw me off track, knocked the air out of my lungs, and left me thinking, Wait… what happened?
Eventually, you find your way back to yourself. You brush off the dirt, squint into the sunlight, and start walking again. Maybe you don’t know exactly where you’re going, but you start to get a feeling for it. A hunch. A direction.
So what do you do at 25 when you realise…
✨ You’ve never actually had a proper mentor in your life? ✨
You leave the Shire and go in search of adventure.
That’s exactly what I did.
I went looking for mentors in every possible way I could. I wanted someone older, wiser, more experienced—someone who could help me grow without trying to fix me. A real adult in my corner. A guide. Frodo didn't get to the end of his story with just himself now did he?
And because I know how hard and lonely that search can be—especially in the tech industry—I’ve compiled the best places I’ve personally found mentors so far. If even one of these helps you the way they helped me, then I’ll be so, so happy.
💖 Warrior Woman Foundation Mentor Program
🗓 Duration: 6 months
🌐 Format: Online & In-person (NSW-based)
This one’s close to my heart.
The Warrior Woman program is everything. After a quick interview, the team carefully matches you with a mentor based on your goals, personality, and dreams—and let me tell you, they are scarily good at it. You’ll join a weekly Zoom call filled with other amazing women where you’ll learn practical skills like:
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Boundaries (!!!)
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Financial literacy
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Career planning
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Goal setting
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Confidence building
There are also in-person meetups throughout the 6 months (if you're in NSW), and the energy in the room is like a warm hug mixed with a motivational TED Talk.
I came out of this program with lifelong friends, new skills, and a deeper belief in myself. My mentor became a real role model to me—someone kind, successful, and deeply invested in helping me grow.
🔗 Check out the Warrior Woman Foundation (NSW-based and free to join!)
💻 Code Like a Girl Mentorship Program
🗓 Duration: 2 sessions
🌐 Format: Online
💼 Field: Tech
Short but so powerful. This program is perfect if you’re breaking into tech or looking to level up your career and don’t know where to start.
You’ll fill out a detailed form about your current goals and experience, and the CLG team will match you with a mentor who knows the field. In just two sessions, I had my portfolio, GitHub, resume, Linkedin and cover letter reviewed in detail. My mentor gave me actionable feedback on the spot.
It’s ideal for specific, career-focused help—especially if you’ve hit a wall and don’t know how to move forward in tech.
🔗 Visit Code Like a Girl and check out their mentorship and internship offerings.
🧠 Headspace Career Mentoring Program
🗓 Duration: 6 months
🌐 Format: Online
👩🎓 For: Young people aged 18–25
Headspace offers a 6-month mentoring program aimed at supporting young people stepping into the workforce, especially those unsure where to start.
After a casual online interview with a Headspace team member, they’ll offer you several mentors to choose from. Even if they’re not in your exact dream field, the mentors are all super skilled, kind, and full of insight trust me there is a reason you are paired. You arrange your own regular meetings, and Headspace provides helpful resources to keep you on track.
If you’re at a point where you’re thinking, “I don’t even know where I want to go, let alone how to get there,” this one is for you.
🔗 Explore Headspace Career Mentoring (look under vocational and career support)
🌟 Why Mentors Matter
I haven’t finished all my mentor programs yet—but even now, I feel like I have a team behind me. A council of wise adults gently cheering me on, nudging me forward, and helping me leap when I’m too scared to try.
If you’ve ever felt like the world is too big, like you’re too late or too lost—you’re not. You’re just at the part of the story where you ask for help. Where you learn. Where you begin again.
You deserve to have people in your corner who want you to grow. And they are out there. I promise.
📬 Got Mentor Recs?
If you know of any other free or accessible mentorship programs—especially ones for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, or career-changers—I’d love to hear about them! Feel free to message me or leave a comment.
Let’s build a world where no one has to wander alone.
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