Mentoring

The WDA/EAZWV/EAAV Mentoring Program is a joint initiative between the Wildlife Disease Association (WDA), the European Association of Zoo and Wildlife Veterinarians (EAZWV) and the European Association of Avian Veterinarians (EAAV) that aims to promote the sharing of knowledge and skills and help maintain strong connections between the professionals of our organisations.

Wild animal health, a broad scientific field, can be competitive and hard to navigate, making it difficult for students and newly graduated professionals to find employment opportunities or identify the right steps to advance in their careers. The objective of this program is to connect students and recent graduates with professionals of the free-ranging and captive wildlife field so they can receive guidance on their early careers.

As well as helping members of the three associations start their careers by providing them with mentorship from already-established professionals, the project aims to motivate these new professionals to take a more active role in their fields and their associations, creating positive feedback that encourages communication and scientific exchange.

This project enlists experts in mentoring and coaching (Transcape) to ensure the joint WDA/EAZWV/EAAV Mentoring Program is robust, valuable for participants and sustainable in the long term.

The first edition of the program took place in 2022/23 with a trial cohort of mentor-mentee pairs across the organizations. The program was closed at the beginning of 2024 and feedback information is currently being gathered and analyzed. Once the information is presented to the boards of the different associations, a decision will be made about the possibility of organizing further editions.

Please, keep an eye on this website and WDA’s social media channels for future announcements about the mentoring program.