How matching works

The algorithm proposes. People confirm.

A hybrid score is explainable to a government partner. A short rationale is written for the Secretariat. No match goes out until a human approves it.

What the score looks at

When a cohort opens and both pools are approved, every eligible pair receives a weighted compatibility score. The top suggestions go to Secretariat with a plain-language rationale.

Expertise

Shared or complementary areas such as Governance, Infrastructure, Data Systems, Enforcement, or Post-Crash Care.

Language

Overlap in English, French, Portuguese, or Arabic so the pair can work without a translator.

Goals

The mentee’s stated learning goals against the mentor’s areas of expertise.

Geography

Optional regional preference. MentorLink is global — geography is never required.

Format

Preferred mentoring cadence and format on both sides.

Capacity

A mentor may take 3–5 mentees. A mentee has one mentor per cohort.

Humans stay in the loop

Secretariat reviews and approves suggested matches before anyone is notified. Mentor and mentee can each accept, decline with a reason, or request an alternative. Mutual acceptance starts the mentorship. This is deliberate: a black-box matcher is hard to defend to a donor or an auditor.