We help others helping animals.
ARVAN
ARVAN (ICARE’s Animal Rights and Vegan Advocacy Network) is a mentorship and collaboration community for ICARE course alums advancing animal rights and food systems transition through law, policy, research, and advocacy.
It is available only to ICARE alums, who join after completion of an ICARE course. It is a space to stay connected, find collaborators, and strengthen the translation from learning to legal and advocacy work for animals.
It is designed to support alums who are:
developing legal or policy strategies,
exploring litigation or legislative avenues,
building campaigns that require legally robust framing,
seeking peers and feedback to move projects forward responsibly.
Benefits of Joining ARVAN:
Peer collaboration: connect with alums working on similar issues or regions
Project support: feedback, troubleshooting, and exchange of resources/templates
Mentorship opportunities (pilot): structured 1:1 mentorship for selected mentees
Learning continuity: updates, discussions, and periodic community moments through mentee calls
This network embodies ICARE's commitment to fostering a community where impactful advocacy is achieved through collaboration and shared expertise. Together, we strive to advance our mission of ending animal exploitation and advancing fundamental rights for animals worldwide.
Become an ARVAN Mentor
We are piloting 1:1 mentorship for ARVAN mentees.
What mentoring involves
1:1 conversations focused on strategy, professional development, and accountable goal-setting.
Typical cadence: 1 session per month or (flexible), over an agreed period (e.g., 3–6 months), or one-off, depending on the alum’s needs and project, and on mentor availability.
What we look for
Demonstrated experience in animal advocacy, animal law/policy, strategic litigation, campaigning, fundraising, or movement building, or other foundational skills
A supportive, constructive approach and respect for context and risk
Willingness to follow basic programme guidelines (confidentiality, boundaries, safeguarding)
Our Mentorship Partners
As part of ICARE’s Animal Rights and Vegan Advocacy Network (ARVAN), we are honoured to collaborate with experienced leaders in the field who share their expertise and guidance with our mentees. We warmly thank Olga Kikou, Founder and Director of Animal Advocacy & Food Transition, for facilitating the bi-monthly mentee calls and generously serving as a mentor. Her leadership and insights are invaluable to ARVAN’s mission of empowering animal rights and vegan advocates.
Olga Kikou is the Founder and Director of Animal Advocacy & Food Transition, a non-profit organisation with a mission to improve the welfare of farmed animals and to accelerate the shift towards more plant-based food systems to benefit our health, the animals and the planet. Olga received her Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts and worked in international organisations in the non-profit sector and in research and planning.
With decades of experience in civil society advocacy, she has a wide range of interests and expertise, ranging from advancing animal-related causes to building support for social justice and green issues, strengthening citizen participation and reinforcing social reform. Olga has a proven track record of effective engagement with EU policymakers and has built a strong network across EU institutions and civil society.
In 2022, she was named to the inaugural Future Perfect 50 list, recognised as one of 50 individuals driving global change, from philosophers and activists to technologists and ethicists who are working to create a better future for all. Olga serves as substitute representative of the Citizens’ Committee for the End The Cage Age European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) and was instrumental in its success as the lead lobbyist engaging with the EU Institutions, helping to secure the historic commitment to phase out the use of cages in EU animal farming. She now acts as the representative for a new ECI Food is a Human Right for All: Guaranteeing healthy, just and sustainable food systems and continues to drive EU-level work in these critical areas.
We are also grateful to Hive, the global movement building infrastructure and community for farmed animal advocacy, for hosting ARVAN on their Slack platform. This generous support makes it possible for mentees and mentors across the globe to connect, collaborate, and grow together.
