Before You Call Yourself a Mentor — book cover

Before you call yourself aMentor

Finding your place in helping others

An invitation to anyone who has ever poured into another person and wondered whether they were qualified to.

Pre-order for R250 Explore the map →

About the book

What comes to mind when you hear the word mentor?

For many of us it's been reduced to programmes, platforms, and quick-tip experts — shaped more by expectations than human connection. If that's the picture in your head, it's no wonder so many people quietly count themselves out.

But mentorship has never been about systems or scale. At its heart it's far simpler, and far harder: seeing potential in someone before they can see it themselves, and choosing to walk with them through the messy, sacrificial, beautifully unpredictable journey that follows.

Drawing on personal stories, biblical insight, and practical frameworks, Before You Call Yourself a Mentor is an invitation to anyone who has ever poured into another person and wondered whether they were qualified to.

Not a step-by-step guide. An invitation — to show up, to invest, and to reclaim the heart of mentorship.

Share your mentorship story

Mentorship leaves a mark. Tell us about yours.

Think of a moment when mentorship shaped you — a time someone saw something in you, walked alongside you, or perhaps let you down. The good and the hard both matter. Share your story below and add your voice to a growing collection of real mentorship experiences.

The mentorship map

Explore your mentorship map

There's no single right way to mentor. The map helps you see where you sit across 16 dimensions of mentorship — from formal or informal, to short-term or long-term — compare your view with a mentor, mentee, team or leader, and add your perspective to a growing collective.

Animation of the mentorship map being filled in and compared with a mentee Explore the map

Art prints

Prints from the book

A selection of the images that feature in the book, available as large-format A1 art prints.

Purchase a print

About the author

Photo

Richard Gorven has spent over two decades mentoring young people. A creative communicator based in Durban, South Africa, he holds a degree in Communication Science and serves as Creative Director of Trulife, a non-profit helping school-going students make brave choices that lead to better futures. He also works as a creative with the Global Leadership Network International, capturing stories of impact and change around the world, and sits on the GLS Next Gen Leadership Team.

For more than ten years he was on staff at a local church — leading creative ministries, lecturing at Bible college, and serving as a youth leader. He has also worked with corporates, NPOs and music groups, and spent time touring as a musician. Beneath all of it runs one simple commitment: developing young people.

Richard is married to Roxy, and together they are raising two daughters, Hallie and Josie.