Anita Sarma - Keynote: Effective Mentoring Strategies for an Inclusive Community | SciPy 2024

Mentoring is essential for open source sustainability but faces key challenges around time constraints, communication barriers, and unacknowledged effort

Successful mentoring strategies include:

• Setting clear expectations upfront
• Using multiple communication channels (async, video, text)
• Making documentation accessible and task-focused
• Creating bite-sized, well-defined starter tasks
• Allowing mentees to choose their tasks
• Building psychological safety and peer support groups

Demographics and identity affect feeling of welcomeness:

• 54% of non-binary/third gender contributors reported challenges
• 34% of women and 33% of people with disabilities faced barriers
• Cultural differences and language barriers create additional hurdles

Code reviews are valuable teaching opportunities but need:

• Clear feedback with learning goals
• Patience with newcomers
• Recognition of time zone and language differences
• Identification of appropriate task complexity

Formal vs informal mentoring:

• Formal programs provide structure but may not create best connections
• Informal mentoring often more effective for career growth
• “Implicit mentoring” through day-to-day interactions valuable
• Peer support groups critical for retention

Project sustainability requires:

• Acknowledging and rewarding mentoring efforts
• Creating welcoming environments for diverse contributors
• Having enforceable codes of conduct
• Supporting multiple paths to contribution
• Planning for leadership succession

AI tools can potentially help with:

• Documentation maintenance
• Task complexity assessment
• Communication improvements
• But need careful consideration of fairness and bias