Fedora Mentored Projects initiative was started in November 2023. Fedora offers paid internship opportunities each year for applicants across the globe through our ongoing participation in the Outreachy program.Since the start of the Initiative, we have made a lot of progress enhancing the Outreachy mentorship program and applying to Google Summer of Code and Google Season of Docs. The Initiative set out to focus on improving the overall experience for different participants in Fedora Mentored Projects, from applicants & interns, mentors, and program coordinators.

Discover what we have done and learned, what is next for the initiative, and most important, how you can help us!

Join members of the Fedora Council for a community town hall. The town hall will begin with a quick overview of the Fedora Council as a governance body, a few prepared questions for the Council, and then open Q&A from the live audience. This is a great chance to ask Fedora leadership your burning questions.

Join us for an exciting showcase of the coolest projects from Fedora's Mentored Projects program! Discover how mentorship fuels creativity and collaboration within our open source community.

Get inspired by success stories and lessons learned from mentors and mentees, and hear firsthand how mentorship helps contributors to grow their career. We'll show off awesome projects that embody the spirit of Fedora.

Let's celebrate the power of learning together in Fedora's vibrant community!

During the 2023 flock, our mentorship summit proved highly successful. We hosted a 1.5-hour "Panel Discussion" involving both mentors and mentees. The objective was clear: to nurture a culture of mentorship and align with the Fedora Project council's strategy of ensuring everyone has a mentor and is a mentor themselves.

Once again, for this upcoming mentorship summit, I propose a "Panel Discussion." Such discussions offer an excellent platform to delve into various mentorship-related topics.

Here are some suggested discussion points:
The Importance of Mentorship: Highlighting why mentorship is vital for all members of the community and its potential impact on Fedora or any open-source community.
Effective Mentorship Strategies: Exploring different approaches for establishing fruitful mentor-mentee relationships, including matching, goal-setting, and regular communication.
Mentoring through different mediums: Examining how technology has influenced mentorship programs, including virtual mentoring and online resources, along with their advantages and challenges.
Diversity and Inclusion in Mentorship: Emphasizing the significance of diversity and inclusion in mentorship and strategies for promoting them within programs.
Mentorship Goals: Discussing the expected outcomes of mentorship, such as aiding mentees in community understanding, network-building, and skill development.
Mentorship Metrics and Evaluation: Exploring methods for measuring the effectiveness of mentorship programs and assessing their impact.
Mentorship Beyond the Community: Considering opportunities for mentorship outside the Fedora community and the benefits of extending mentorship initiatives.
Overcoming Challenges in Mentorship: Addressing common obstacles in mentorship relationships and proposing strategies to overcome them.
Encouraging Participation in Mentorship: Discussing ways in which existing mentors and mentees can inspire other community members to engage in mentorship programs.

Build your mentorship skills through an interactive workshop with Fedora Friends! You will learn how to communicate more effectively with mentees through practical role playing scenarios. This session will help mentors of all experience levels improve their mentorship skills. During this workshop we will:
- Introduce the topic & structure of the workshop
- Short (& fun!) ice-breaker
- Demo of role play by your hosts (Marie & Smera)
- Role-play scenarios (with breaks)
- Open discussion: sharing lessons learned & feedback on workshop
- Conclusions & takeaways

Join in the fun to strengthen your mentoring muscles, upskill your communication, and connect with Fedora friends!