Both people seeking a mentor and experienced contributors willing to mentor others.
Connecting experienced participants with people developing their engagement with Active Inference.
On this page
Mentorship at the Institute runs in both directions — experienced contributors support the development of newer participants, and everyone benefits from the exchange of perspectives, context, and guidance.
Mentorship at the Institute can take many forms: regular one-on-one conversations, feedback on work in progress, introductions to other community members, guidance on navigating projects and learning resources, or simply a reliable point of contact who knows the landscape. Formal mentorship includes defined goals and a regular cadence of check-ins. Informal mentorship emerges naturally from community participation and shared project work. Both are valuable.
If you are newer to Active Inference or the Institute and would benefit from guidance, mentorship is available. Start by participating in community activities and identifying experienced contributors whose work and perspective resonates with yours. To request a mentor, submit a personal statement through the Mentorship Form describing your background and the kind of advising that would best serve your learning trajectory. The Institute works to match submissions with available mentors on a rolling basis. You can also connect with the community directly through Discord while your submission is pending. Mentors are community members who have agreed to provide support — they are not distant authorities but active participants who remember what it is like to be new.
If you are an experienced participant in the Institute or Ecosystem and are willing to support others, mentorship is a meaningful way to contribute. Mentors help newer participants navigate the community, develop skills, and make meaningful contributions. The time commitment is flexible — even occasional guidance makes a substantial difference for people earlier in their journey. Prospective mentors can review personal statements submitted through the Mentorship Form and reach out to people whose learning goals align with their own expertise, particularly those not yet matched with a mentor.
Mentorship and internship are complementary pathways. Interns are typically connected with mentors from the community who provide guidance throughout their internship. The mentorship program also operates independently — some mentorship relationships develop outside any formal internship context, simply through sustained community participation.
Mentorship connects naturally with volunteering, internship, and fellowship. Volunteers often benefit from mentorship as they explore how to contribute. Interns receive mentorship as part of their structured engagement. Fellows draw on mentorship relationships as they develop sustained bodies of work.
Key surfaces
Formal or informal, one-on-one or group — mentorship takes the shape that fits the people involved.
Newer participants can request a mentor by submitting a personal statement through the Mentorship Form; the Institute matches submissions on a rolling basis.
Experienced contributors can offer guidance and support to those earlier in their journey.
Interns receive mentorship as part of their structured engagement.
Related resources
Audience: Newcomer
Primary public community channel for conversation, coordination, and newcomer orientation.
Audience: Newcomer
Recurring public update surface for activity orientation and current work.
Official pages
Audience: Contributor
Public mentorship pathway for guided participation and learning.