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After moving from the Humanity in Action office in Berlin to the Amsterdam office, becoming a mentor showed Lucas Schucht the strength of the international and intergenerational Senior Fellow Network.
In 2025, Senior Fellow Lucas Schucht joined the mentor program for the Amsterdam Fellowship. By being a mentor, Lucas got to practice his coaching skills, while also learning from a young changemaker and their view of the world. In this way, the collaboration between Lucas and his mentees was not a unidirectional one.
We spoke to Lucas about what it was like to be a mentor as part of the Fellowship.
How did you become part of the Senior Fellow Network?
I did the Fellowship in Berlin in 2021. The Fellowship was very particular, as it took place completely online due to contact restrictions during the pandemic. That’s why I never met the other Fellows in person during the actual fellowship. HiA really did their best to create a shared experience, even in the digital space, but it’s never going to be as intense as in person. That’s why I really appreciate the Senior Fellow activities, to get a sense of community that seems to come more naturally to everyone doing the more recent/in-person Fellowships.
What motivated you to become a mentor?
I recently moved to Amsterdam and was asking the German HiA office for any tips and contacts to the Dutch office. This year’s Fellowship ended right before I contacted the Dutch office, so there was the opportunity to get involved and become a mentor. As I worked for several years in a consulting role for social projects and have lots of experience as a teacher at university and in political education, I was very happy to take the opportunity to share what I have learned, get to know dedicated people, and become part of the HiA network in Amsterdam. Everyone has been incredibly welcoming, and I am very happy that I signed up for it.
HiA does an incredible job at creating a common bond for this diverse community that shares a passion for social justice and equality
What did your mentee teach you which you did not expect?
Not to hesitate and just send that email, make that phone call, and talk to the person that is crucial for realizing your project. Sometimes people are more open to contributing to your project than you’d expect. Just getting the ball rolling can lead to lots of unforeseen opportunities even beyond the project you are working on at that moment.
What was a memorable moment from your mentoring experience?
For me, actually sketching the timeline of the project after developing it in conversation was very memorable. It felt like a hands-on result of the conversation that aids the orientation of the mentees as well as the mentors. Sometimes creating projects can feel really messy, with lots of different ideas and without being clear what steps to take when and how they might be connected. Physically writing it down, sketching the timeline, and making the connections on how to get from the idea to the actual project helped to make it way more tangible and identify possible points where feedback or just a simple check-in might be helpful.
What does it mean for you to be part of the Senior Fellow Network?
I generally appreciate the international nature of the Network and the diversity of backgrounds and passions that people bring to the Network, including the different level of experience of the Fellows. HiA does an incredible job at creating a common bond for this diverse community that shares a passion for social justice and equality. The intergenerational nature of the community makes it very easy to learn from more Senior Fellows how to handle certain situations in your professional or activist life. And, on the other hand, you get the opportunity to share the same sense of empathy and understanding with the newer generation, helping them to deal with the same struggles you went through.
Stop hesitating and just sign up to become a mentor – it’s a very rewarding experience
What advice would you give to future mentors in the Fellowship?
My primary advice is to stop hesitating and to just sign up to become a mentor. It’s a very rewarding experience.
Besides that, some key advice would be: Prepare for the meetings so the time spent is more productive for both you and your mentee. Be open to learning new things from them and changing your mind. Be flexible in your approach to mentoring and see what would be most helpful for your mentee. Be mindful of other challenges that go beyond the action project.
Interested in becoming a mentor for one of our Amsterdam Fellows? Find out more information about mentoring here.