Finding Common Ground: Mentoring for a Connected Commonwealth

Over the past year, e.t.c coaching consultants have been working closely with Commonwealth Sport to create a consistent and connected approach to developing the people who make the movement what it is — the mentors, supervisors, and leaders who shape learning, growth, and leadership across programmes such as eqUIP, GAPS, and the Commonwealth Women’s Leadership Programme (CWLP).

At the heart of this initiative sits Common Ground — a mentor development programme designed to build capability, confidence, and community among those guiding others within the Commonwealth Sport ecosystem.

A Blended Approach to Learning

Common Ground adopts a blended learning model, created in partnership with our digital collaborators at MiMentor and hosted on the Commonwealth Sport Learning Platform.

Participants engage in:

• Online learning modules introducing the principles and practices of effective mentoring

• Facilitated webinars that bring concepts to life in their real-world contexts

• Communities of practice that sustain reflection, connection, and peer learning

Together, these experiences are designed to help mentors reflect, connect, and grow — ensuring mentoring across the Commonwealth is grounded in shared values and consistent quality.

Participants who successfully complete the full learning pathway will also be eligible for the ASQ Certificate in Mentoring, by evidencing their learning and demonstrating how they have applied it in practice.

From Pilot to Flagship

What began earlier this year as a soft launch in Lusaka, Zambia, during the eqUIP Orientation for Africa and Europe, has now evolved into a fully fledged, year-long learning journey.

As Common Ground – eqUIP Cohort 1 begins, participants will undertake structured learning, reflection, and applied mentoring within their CGAs — supported by facilitators, peers, and Commonwealth Sport staff — through to and beyond the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games.

The ultimate intent is for Common Ground to stand as a flagship programme for Commonwealth Sport — a shared commitment to growth, connection, and the power of mentoring as a vehicle for sustainable change.

From Concept to Community

This morning marked a special milestone as Common Ground – eqUIP Cohort 1 officially came to life with its Welcome Webinar.

We were joined by 23 Commonwealth Games Association (CGA) staff members, representing a broad range of roles — from Operations Manager to Secretary General — alongside colleagues from Commonwealth Sport Headquarters.

The session was warmly opened by Ellen Barwise, who reaffirmed Commonwealth Sport’s commitment to investing in people and strengthening mentoring capability across the movement.

Facilitated by Sarah McQuade and Barbara Daniels of e.t.c coaching consultants, the webinar explored what effective mentoring looks and feels like in practice. Participants reflected on their own experiences, discussed how mentoring already shows up in their CGAs, and considered how shifting the focus from what we do to how we make others feel can transform learning and leadership across the Commonwealth community.

Looking Ahead

As the journey unfolds, we will continue to explore how mentoring can strengthen learning cultures, leadership capability, and collaboration across the Commonwealth Sport family.

At its heart, Common Ground is about people — creating space for reflection, fostering authentic connection, and strengthening the human thread that unites us all.

As always, we remain grounded in what matters most: helping people learn, grow, and thrive — together.

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