Review into the treatment of women at the Australian Defence Force ...

Audit findingsThe analysis of existing mentoring programs and the development of further mentoring optionsdemonstrates a commitment by ADFA to address the Recommendation. The mentoring brief provided tothe Audit is evidence that a substantial amount of work has been undertaken, however, to date neitherof the developed options have been implemented. The delay means that enhanced mentoring was notavailable in 2012 and has not yet been agreed for 2013. 32With respect to the proposed options developed by ADFA, there are concerns about the differencesbetween the intent of the Recommendation and the proposed models. The Audit is concerned that:• Female undergraduates are not being provided with the option to be placed with femalementors• The UNSW Lucy Mentoring Program has been largely discounted as a template for the ADFAprogram due to a misperception that this is an employment based scheme and therefore notapplicable• There is a lack of regular and ongoing mentoring.ADFA and the RIT have commented that it is not practical to provide mentors to over 1,000undergraduates. 33 However, the Recommendation states that undergraduates be offered a mentor. TheAudit does not anticipate that everyone would take up such an opportunity.Further, according to the Recommendation, female undergraduates should be given the optionto be placed with female mentors. The Audit does not consider that it is impractical to offer eachfemale undergraduate a female mentor. According to data provided to the Audit, in 2011 womencomprised approximately 21% of the ADFA undergraduate population. In 2011, there were 75 femaleundergraduates in first year, 71 in second year, 53 in third year and 26 female advanced students. 34Given that not every female will necessarily take up the opportunity, and in light of these relatively lownumbers, ADFA may be able to offer female undergraduates the opportunity to be placed with a femalementor. ADFA may also wish to consider a more targeted approach whereby only particular year groupsare selected for a mentoring program.The Recommendation also states that workplace-based mentoring programs targeting women thatoperate through universities, including UNSW, should be considered as a useful template. ADFA hasexamined the UNSW Lucy Mentoring Program and has considered its application to ADFA. 35 WhileADFA has drawn on some of the applicable parts, it has dismissed large parts of the template on thebasis that the program is too focused on employment opportunities and therefore not relevant to ADFAgiven that undergraduates are already employed by Defence. However, the stated aims of the LucyProgram do not include finding employment for the mentees. The objectives are focused on diversity ofopportunities, the advantages of job satisfaction, providing an opportunity to work with senior womenand encouraging active decision making. 36The focus of the ADFA analysis is on barriers to implementation without adequately addressing thesimilarities and the extent to which the program may be applicable. 37 ADFA could also seek guidancefrom other external workplace-based mentoring programs that operate.While not explicitly stated in the Recommendation, the ADFA Report notes that “[i]n summary, cadetswould benefit from regular mentoring and advice.” 38 In contrast, the options for a new mentoringprogram involve either a three day series of visits or an annual event neither of which are based onregular mentoring.The Audit reinforces the importance of the ongoing nature of mentoring. 39 In line with the intent of theRecommendation, the chosen option and other existing mentoring options should facilitate ongoing andregular mentoring for undergraduates.Audit Report: Review into the Treatment of Women at the Australian Defence Force Academy • 2013 • 71