Situation
The PwC Social Enterprise (SE) Mentorship Programme is a three-month initiative aimed at bridging the gap between experienced professionals and social entrepreneurs. Its mission is to provide guidance and support, enabling social entrepreneurs to navigate the complexities of the business world. The mentorship sessions take place through PwC Malaysia’s program partner, FutureLab’s mentorship portal.
In May 2023, PwC Malaysia initiated a pilot program with a focus on three key areas:
- Marketing
- Financials
- Business development
Mentees
Out of 46 applications received, 17 mentees were chosen for the programme. This ensured an average of one PwC mentor per social enterprise mentee, allowing for personalised and hands-on 1:1 coaching. Notably, 31% of the selected social enterprises focused on education and training, while 22% aimed to assist low-income earners and the homeless.
Mentors
20 PwC mentors were carefully selected based on their expertise in the specified focus areas. These mentors include both seasoned professionals at the Manager grade and above, as well as Associates and Senior Associates who had the opportunity to shadow as mentors.
Impact
Through the PwC Social Enterprise (SE) Mentorship Programme, PwC Malaysia actively contributed to social enterprise growth while reinforcing its brand within the social enterprise ecosystem. The following impact has been achieved:
For Mentees:
- Effective Guidance: 92% of mentees reported that their mentors effectively addressed their challenges and provided valuable insights.
- Knowledge and Skills: Social enterprises rated the usefulness of knowledge and skills gained from the mentorship programme at an average of 3.3 out of 4, highlighting its impact on advancing their businesses.
For Mentors:
- Two-Way Learning: The programme not only benefited its beneficiaries but also enriched the PwC volunteers. It fostered a two-way learning process, emphasising shared core competencies and learning outcomes gained through working with the different social enterprises.
- Positive Engagement: 85% of PwC mentors expressed interest in participating again and recommended volunteering to others. Participants found the activity rewarding, emphasising its importance within the organisation.
PwC Malaysia envisions organising the programme into themed cohorts, addressing specific challenges such as climate change or equitable access for people with disabilities.
Mentor quote:
“The mentees have very noble goals and intentions and being able to guide them on areas that will allow them to focus on those aspirations whilst lessening their operation burden simply by having a better understanding of their business model is extremely rewarding. Knowing that our knowledge and skill set can help them make a difference is priceless”.
Mentee quote:
“The mentor provided feedback & suggestions based on their own experience in the field which was refreshing and helpful”.
