National Mentoring Day

Categories:: Appreciation
Tags:: Career Children Mental Health
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Every October 27
Holiday emoji:: 🤝

National Mentoring Day arrives every October 27, a dedicated time to acknowledge the profound impact mentors have on personal and professional journeys. Take this opportunity to express gratitude, seek out new mentorship opportunities, or consider becoming a mentor yourself to inspire the next generation.

Deals
Platforms
Social
Hero
History
Timeline
FAQs
Importance
Observe
Related

Expected National Mentoring Day Deals

While awaiting official 2027 promotions, National Mentoring Day typically sees a focus on professional development and educational resources. Look for discounts on online courses from platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera, or special offers on coaching services from organizations like CoachHub. Many companies, such as Google and Deloitte, highlight their internal mentorship programs, often offering free webinars or resource guides for aspiring mentors and mentees. Nonprofits like MENTOR and Big Brothers Big Sisters of America will likely run donation drives or recruitment campaigns. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as October 27 approaches.

Platform Guide for National Mentoring Day

Tag National Today (linkedin.com/company/nationaltoday) and use #NationalMentoringDay. Share a post about a mentor who impacted your career, or offer your own mentorship services.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #NationalMentoringDay. Tweet a short story or a quote from a mentor that has guided you, encouraging others to do the same.

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #NationalMentoringDay. Post a photo with your mentor, or a graphic highlighting the importance of mentorship, with a heartfelt caption.

National Mentoring Day Hero

Chelsey Baker

Chelsey Baker is an award-winning business mentor, author, and media commentator. She founded National Mentoring Day to raise awareness of the profound benefits of mentorship for both mentors and mentees across all sectors. Her work emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and experience to foster growth and success.

History of National Mentoring Day

Chelsey Baker, an award-winning business mentor, started this day in 2014 to help recognize and celebrate mentoring in all its forms. The key message is to raise awareness of the invaluable and rewarding contribution that mentoring makes, which has a huge impact on not only our economy but also our society.

The day aims to encourage interactive discussions, events, and social media activities and facilitate a shared vision and synergies for everyone involved in the industry as well as to showcase the benefits of being a mentor and being mentored. Leading professional mentoring organizations, mentors, key influencers, and thought leaders join together to celebrate the work mentors do to support individuals and businesses.

National Mentoring Day focuses on sharing experiences and paying tribute to mentoring received or given. Baker encourages everyone to show their appreciation for mentoring and to recognize mentors who have made a difference.

Author Anthony K. Tjan, writing in the “Harvard Business Review,” recently noted four ways to become a successful mentor:

Put the relationship before the mentorship.
Focus on character rather than competency.
Shout loudly with your optimism, and keep quiet with your cynicism.
Be more loyal to your mentee than you are to your company.

Finally, he adds, “The best mentors avoid overriding the dreams of their mentees.”

National Mentoring Day timeline

2002

A Month of Celebrating Mentors

National Mentoring Month focuses national attention on the need for mentors in hopes of growing the mentor community.

March 2014

National Mentoring Day Founded

Chelsey Baker begins the project that is National Mentoring Day.

October 2015

The First Annual National Mentoring Day

National Mentoring Day is launched for the first time in the U.K., on which many events take place including a mentoring summit in London.

2016

Inaugurated as an Official National Day

National Mentoring Day is officially inaugurated as a national day, uniting all national mentoring organizations.

2017

Announcement of Mentoring Mission

National Mentoring Day's mentoring mission is announced — "To make mentoring accessible to any individual, child, business or group that needs it, regardless of age, background or ethnicity."

2019

Natural Mentoring

Writer Levi van Dam points out that while more than 5,000 U.S. mentoring organizations facilitate “stranger to stranger” matches for adolescents, only 5% of teens are successfully matched — he suggests a whole new approach: natural mentors like uncles, aunts, neighbors, teachers, sports coaches and acquaintances.

2020

A National Campaign is Launched

A national campaign is launched to ask "Everyone to commit one hour to mentor someone on 27th October. Everyone has skills and experience to share as a mentor. One word, one hour can be all that’s needed to effect a positive change in someone."

2021

Global Launch of National Mentoring Day

The global launch of National Mentoring Day takes place — it aims to support the United Nations SDGs to encourage all countries around the world to join in and celebrate mentors and mentoring initiatives making a difference on October 27.

National Mentoring Day FAQs

When is National Mentoring Day?

National Mentoring Day 2026 falls on Tuesday, October 27. It’s a prime opportunity to reflect on the guidance that has shaped your path.

Why is mentoring important?

Mentoring is crucial for personal and professional development, offering guidance, support, and insights that can accelerate growth. Studies show that individuals with mentors often report higher career satisfaction and faster advancement.

How many people participate in mentoring?

According to MENTOR, approximately one in three young people in the United States will grow up without a formal or informal mentor. This highlights a significant need for more mentoring relationships.

What is the difference between a mentor and a coach?

A mentor typically shares their own experiences and wisdom, offering long-term guidance based on their journey. A coach, however, focuses on helping an individual develop specific skills or achieve particular goals through structured questioning and techniques.

How to Observe National Mentoring Day

Send a thank you note
If a name comes to mind when you think of a mentor from your past, write them a thank you card. Not only is it a kind gesture to show you appreciate their help, but it serves as a reminder of the impact mentors have on their mentees. You can find free 'Thank Your Mentor' cards on National Mentoring Day's website.
Become a mentor
Share the importance of mentoring by becoming part of the mentor community. Get in touch with local businesses, schools, and universities to see how you can make a difference for someone in need.
Create a mentoring event
If you're already a mentor or know of a program, help create an event to celebrate the results of mentoring. It can be a social media campaign sharing mentoring stories with a hashtag or setting up a meeting to share tips on successful practices.

5 Amazing Facts About Mentoring

Mentoring means business
70% of mentored small businesses only survive for five years or more.
Major value
97% of mentees say mentors are valuable.
Effective mentoring creates effective results
67% of businesses see an increase in productivity thanks to mentoring.
More businesses could use a little help from friends
Only 25% of small- and medium-sized businesses currently make use of business mentors.
The student becomes the teacher
89% of mentees themselves become mentors to someone else and contribute significantly to a culture of learning.

Why National Mentoring Day is Important

Stories so touching — we might cry
The holiday gives mentors and mentees a reason to share experiences that have helped their growth, goals, and career. Keep tissues at the ready.
Worldwide mentor collaboration
It gives mentors, key influencers, and leaders from around the world a chance to celebrate the work done — and also work together to find even more ways to make an impact. When more minds unite, more ideas are formed.
It shows us all the ways
This holiday also highlights the different forms mentoring can take. From youth mentoring to business mentoring, having an adviser can help at any stage in life or in your career.