The International Indigenous Mentorship Program (IIMP) was an educational program for Indigenous and non-Indigenous early-career researchers associated with the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network (IPON). The aim of the program was to strengthen mentees’ cultural identity and practical research skills. IIMP was funded by the ESRC Impact Acceleration Account of the University of Leeds.
The first cohort included ten mentees from countries where IPON is active, including Ghana, Fiji, Peru, South Africa, Namibia, and Sri Lanka.
Throughout 2025, mentees participated in virtual group training sessions and one-on-one mentoring. The program placed a strong emphasis on Indigenous Knowledge and lived experiences, as well as on the connections between food, health, and well-being in the context of climate change.
The group training sessions covered topics such as research communication, engagement with international organisations, and Indigenous Knowledge. The mentoring component consisted of one-on-one sessions between each mentee and a mentor, with mentees determining the focus of their sessions. Guidance provided to mentees included support for their research and advocacy projects.
Through this mentorship, mentees learned more about conducting culturally respectful and mutually beneficial research with Indigenous communities. In addition, they were provided with a culturally safe space to reflect and maintain connections with their own roots.
As a collective reflection from this program, IPON reaffirms its commitment to supporting Indigenous early-career researchers and to placing Indigenous Peoples’ voices from local contexts at the centre of its work.
The virtual toolkit of the International Indigenous Mentorship Program (IIMP) is available at: https://ipon-mentorship.weebly.com/
This webpage also provides an overview of the program, the materials used, opportunities for early-career researchers, and additional resources of interest.