Mentorship plays a vital role in shaping young people’s futures, especially for girls interested in exploring traditionally male-dominated fields like science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). But while long-term mentoring relationships can be highly effective, they’re not always feasible for busy professionals. That’s where episodic or “flash” mentoring comes in—a short, impactful engagement model designed to offer quick yet meaningful interactions between mentors and mentees.

At Play Like a Girl, flash mentoring has become a signature approach to group-based mentoring for middle school girls. This model not only brings immense value to the students but also benefits the mentors and corporate partners involved. In this article, we’ll explore the concept of flash mentoring, how Play Like a Girl leverages it to make an impact, and the unique benefits it offers to everyone involved.

What is Flash Mentoring?

Flash mentoring is a flexible, short-term approach that provides mentees with exposure to professionals in various fields through quick, one-time interactions. These sessions typically last anywhere from a few minutes to an hour, focusing on specific topics, advice, or insights into particular industries. This format can take place in person, in groups, or online, making it accessible to both mentors and mentees with busy schedules.

Unlike traditional mentoring, which often involves long-term commitments, flash mentoring allows for efficient, targeted mentorship moments without requiring an ongoing relationship. This model enables organizations like Play Like a Girl to involve more professionals in the mentoring process and expose students to a wider range of experiences and career paths in a short time.

How Play Like a Girl Utilizes Flash Mentoring

Play Like a Girl’s mission is to inspire and prepare girls for careers in STEM and sports by connecting them with female mentors who can offer valuable guidance and real-world insights. Through its flash mentoring approach, the organization creates group-based mentoring opportunities for middle school girls that are both impactful and scalable.

In a typical Play Like a Girl flash mentoring session, middle school girls are introduced to professionals from a variety of STEM fields, including scientists, engineers, technology experts, and business leaders. These sessions are often hosted at partner schools or corporate offices, where employee volunteers engage with the girls through hands-on activities, career talks, or roundtable discussions.

The short, one-time nature of flash mentoring sessions allows Play Like a Girl to mobilize corporate partners and their employees in a way that is convenient and highly effective. Professionals can contribute their expertise and time without the pressure of committing to long-term mentorship, making it easier to engage busy employees in volunteerism.

Flash mentoring not only provides students with exposure to STEM careers but also aligns perfectly with the learning needs of middle school girls. In this critical developmental stage, students benefit from frequent, diverse interactions that help shape their perceptions of their future potential.

Benefits of Flash Mentoring

Flash mentoring presents a wealth of advantages that make it a compelling approach for Play Like a Girl. This approach offers a focused and efficient mentoring experience, allowing mentees to receive valuable advice and insights in a shorter time frame compared to traditional mentoring relationships. In just one hour, participants can engage in targeted discussions that eliminate the pressure of lengthy, in-depth conversations, which some may find daunting.

For mentors, flash mentoring serves as an appealing way to contribute their expertise without a significant time commitment. This format not only enables them to provide meaningful guidance but also offers a chance to refresh or broaden their own knowledge. In fact, mentors often find that these brief interactions enhance their understanding of the challenges facing girls and young women today, fostering a reciprocal learning environment.

With a foundational understanding of flash mentoring established, let’s explore how this approach benefits both mentees and mentors from varying perspectives:

Perks of Flash Mentoring for Play Like a Girl

Play Like a Girl has successfully embedded flash mentoring into its core programming for a number of reasons:

  1. Scalability: Traditional mentoring programs often require ongoing resources and time, which can limit their reach. Flash mentoring, however, allows Play Like a Girl to engage a larger number of professionals and students. This format is ideal for group-based mentoring events, enabling the organization to offer mentorship opportunities to more students across a wide geographical range.
  2. Impactful Learning Experiences: While the sessions are brief, they are highly targeted. Mentors focus on providing real-world insights, career advice, and personal experiences that resonate with the students. These concentrated interactions help spark curiosity and confidence in young girls, encouraging them to explore STEM fields.
  3. Diverse Role Models: Flash mentoring enables Play Like a Girl to bring a diverse group of mentors from various industries and backgrounds to interact with the girls. This diversity helps girls see themselves represented in STEM fields, breaking down stereotypes and expanding their vision of what’s possible for their future.
  4. Partnership Flexibility: Because flash mentoring is a one-time or short-term commitment, corporate partners are more likely to get involved. It allows organizations to support Play Like a Girl’s mission without overextending their resources, making it a win-win for all parties.
Perks of Flash Mentoring for Corporate Partners and Employee Volunteers

Corporate partners who provide employee volunteers for Play Like a Girl’s flash mentoring sessions benefit in several ways:

  1. Employee Engagement: Flash mentoring offers employees an opportunity to give back to the community and make a meaningful impact on the next generation. These engagements are often inspiring for professionals, as they witness firsthand the excitement and passion of young girls discovering new career possibilities in STEM.
  2. Social Responsibility: For companies looking to enhance their social impact initiatives, flash mentoring is an accessible way to make a difference. It aligns with corporate social responsibility goals, particularly in promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM fields.
  3. Talent Pipeline Development: By engaging employees in mentoring activities, corporate partners help cultivate the next generation of talent. These sessions introduce young students to various industries and roles, fostering interest in STEM careers. The exposure to a wide range of potential career paths can inspire the girls to pursue STEM-focused education and career tracks, eventually becoming the skilled professionals these companies need in the future.
  4. Diversity and Inclusion: Flash mentoring allows corporate partners to showcase their commitment to diversity and inclusion. By actively supporting initiatives like Play Like a Girl, which focuses on empowering young women—particularly from underrepresented groups in STEM—companies can demonstrate their dedication to closing the gender gap and fostering an inclusive workforce.
  5. Enhanced Corporate Reputation: Partnering with organizations like Play Like a Girl not only boosts employee morale but also enhances a company’s brand image. It positions the company as a leader in promoting gender equity and social responsibility, which can resonate with customers, clients, and stakeholders who value diversity and social impact.
Perks of Flash Mentoring for Schools and Students

The partner schools and the students receiving mentorship through Play Like a Girl’s flash mentoring programs experience transformative benefits:

  1. Exposure to STEM Careers: For many middle school girls, especially those from underserved communities, access to professionals working in STEM fields is limited. Flash mentoring breaks down these barriers by giving students the opportunity to interact with real-world STEM role models. This exposure is critical in helping them visualize themselves in STEM careers and opens their eyes to new possibilities.
  2. Empowerment and Confidence: Middle school is a pivotal time for young girls as they begin to form ideas about their academic strengths and future potential. Flash mentoring provides an encouraging environment where students can ask questions, learn from professionals, and gain confidence in their abilities. The supportive atmosphere helps boost their self-esteem and empowers them to believe that they can succeed in STEM fields.
  3. Career Guidance: Flash mentoring sessions are not just about inspiration; they provide practical advice on navigating educational pathways and career options. Mentors share insights into what it takes to succeed in STEM fields, offering guidance on course selection, college preparation, and skills development. This real-world knowledge is invaluable in helping students make informed decisions about their futures.
  4. Networking Opportunities: Although the mentoring sessions are short, they introduce students to potential mentors who may become part of their broader network. Even a brief interaction can have a lasting impact, as students may stay connected with mentors for advice or future opportunities.
  5. Community Engagement: Partner schools benefit from the positive community engagement that results from these programs. Parents, teachers, and administrators appreciate the opportunities that flash mentoring brings to their students, strengthening the school’s role as a hub for educational and career development.

Success Stories: Flash Mentoring in Action

One of the standout examples of Play Like a Girl’s success with flash mentoring is its partnership with companies like Bridgestone and SharkNinja. Through these partnerships, Play Like a Girl has been able to host large-scale flash mentoring programs and events that bring hundreds of middle school girls face-to-face with professionals in various STEM fields.

In these sessions, students engage in interactive workshops, meet with mentors, and participate in hands-on activities that allow them to apply STEM concepts in real-world scenarios. The mentorship doesn’t end with these sessions—students often leave with new goals, interests, and connections that can help guide them as they continue their education.

For example, as part of Massachusetts STEM Week, Play Like a Girl partnered with SharkNinja to host its STEM+ Challenge, which took place recently at Mother Caroline Academy in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Programs like this bring hundreds of middle school girls face-to-face with professionals in various STEM fields to inspire them to explore STEM through hands-on learning and real-world problem-solving.

During the SharkNinja STEM+ Challenge, 28 middle school girls from Mother Caroline Academy participated in a dynamic competition aimed at solving real-world problems using STEM concepts. The focus of this challenge was the growing issue of food waste in school cafeterias. Teams of students were tasked with designing and engineering innovative solutions to reduce food waste using household materials like cardboard, making the project both creative and practical.

The students worked in small groups, each supported by two mentors from SharkNinja, who guided them through the engineering design process. These mentors—women working in various STEM roles—provided invaluable insight into how STEM principles can be applied to real-world challenges, while also serving as role models for the girls. Through this interactive experience, the girls gained hands-on experience in problem-solving, teamwork, and critical thinking, all while learning about potential STEM careers.

The STEM+ Challenge concluded with a pitch presentation, where each team presented their solution to a panel of judges, including both their peers and mentors. These presentations were evaluated based on understanding of STEM principles, creativity, sustainability, feasibility, and teamwork. The winning team received HP laptop computers, further motivating the girls to pursue STEM education and careers.

The STEM+ Challenge program demonstrates the power of combining flash mentoring with hands-on challenges to spark curiosity and engagement in STEM. By working with women mentors and tackling real-world issues, the girls left the event not only with new skills but also with a renewed sense of possibility about their futures in STEM.

Why Flash Mentoring Works for Play Like a Girl

Flash mentoring is an ideal fit for Play Like a Girl’s mission of providing girls with access to a wide range of female role models in STEM fields across all industries and sectors. The flexibility of the format allows the organization to partner with a broad array of corporate sponsors and schools, creating opportunities for more students to benefit from the program.

Additionally, the group-based structure of flash mentoring fits well with the developmental needs of middle school girls. The peer learning and support that happens in group settings complement the mentorship experience, creating a collaborative environment where girls can inspire and uplift each other.

Moreover, flash mentoring enables Play Like a Girl to scale its impact, reaching more girls without the constraints of long-term, one-on-one mentorship. This allows the organization to serve a larger number of students while still delivering meaningful and transformative experiences.

Join the Movement: Empower Girls Through Flash Mentoring

Flash mentoring is changing the game for middle school girls across the country, and Play Like a Girl is leading that charge. But we can’t do it alone. We need passionate mentors and partners to join us in our mission to close the gender gap in STEM and empower the next generation of female innovators.

Corporate Partners: If your company is looking for ways to engage employees in meaningful volunteerism and make a real impact in the community, we invite you to partner with Play Like a Girl. Through our flash mentoring programs, your employees can inspire young girls, showcase the possibilities of STEM careers, and help shape the future workforce.

Volunteers: Are you a professional in STEM who wants to give back? By becoming a mentor with Play Like a Girl, you can make a lasting difference in the lives of young girls. Whether it’s a one-time session or a recurring exchange, your mentorship can inspire girls to pursue their dreams and see themselves as future leaders in STEM.

Schools: Interested in bringing Play Like a Girl programs to your students? Our flash mentoring sessions offer an innovative and impactful way to expose girls to STEM careers and connect them with female role models. Partner with us to help your students discover their potential and set them on a path to success.

Together, we can empower the next generation of girls to play big, dream big, and achieve big in STEM.