Whether you are looking for a mentor to help give you confidence, or you want to share your skills and volunteer your time, there are some great independent mentoring schemes out there. What's more, Charities and big corporations often run their own, internal schemes, so before you seek external help, it’s always worth enquiring to see if your company offers anything, too.
(New!) OK MENTOR
Open exclusively to female undergraduates, Ok Mentor taps top female execs for their knowledge and expertise, with a mentor line-up that includes: Whitney Rosenthal (Head of Emerging Talent at Instagram), Amanda Morgan (Managing Director at Byredo and Diptyque) and Naomi Walkland (Senior Marketing Manager at Bumble).
Expect a free 12 hour intensive programme (spread across two weeks) which includes four sessions covering business training and a personal development framework – everything from practical fundamentals to portfolio development, CVs, pitching and financial management.
For their first programme, applications are open from 22 August to 30 September. Make sure you're around on 31 October to take part!
R.O.O.M. MENTORING
Founded by ELLE’s deputy editor Kenya Hunt, R.O.O.M. is an independent mentoring initiative that aims to increase diversity in the fashion and media industries by advocating for greater B.A.M.E. representation in the creative industry.
CARBON ACADEMY
A creative mentor programme run by M&C Saatchi, in which six female students are paired with experienced creatives at the agency.
UPRISING
UpRising provides leadership training, mentoring and coaching to young people from diverse backgrounds in England and Wales. Their goal is to enable young people to become skilled leaders across the political, private, public, and voluntary sectors. They have helped young people interested in sustainable fashion, design, media and more.
CREATIVE MENTOR NETWORK
This charity works directly with schools across London to connect talented young people from diverse backgrounds with those working in the creative industries.
YOUNG WOMEN’S TRUST
By pledging £25 per month to the Young Women’s Trust 'Futures Fund,' you’ll be giving a young woman a series of one-to-one practical coaching sessions to expand her career expectations, gain work skills and build self-confidence.
DOORSTEP LIBRARY
Share your love of reading with families living in disadvantaged areas of London.
SMART WORKS
Supported by the Duchess of Sussex, this charity helps unemployed women prepare for job interviews with training and a new outfit. You can donate clothes, money, run a clothing drive at work or volunteer your time and styling expertise
This article appears in the June 2019 edition of ELLE UK. Subscribe here to make sure you never miss an issue.
