We know ‘Mentoring Works’ – Do you?

At ELBA we really know the value of making connections and networking, with corporate companies, community groups and educational establishments. Nowhere is that value more evident than in our mentoring work, connecting individuals with mentors at all levels, from Executive Partnerships, university and school mentoring to our ‘Mentoring Works’ programme, which this year celebrates 20 years.

We are delighted that the importance of quality mentoring is being championed widely, particularly in the national mentoring campaign led by the Careers and Enterprise Company. This work is giving us the opportunity to learn from and share our work with the many mentoring organisations that run programmes both small and large, really making a difference to young people. It’s always great to hear how mentoring can really provide a ‘lightbulb’ moment for people on what they can achieve and in many cases that the mentoring relationship can have a long lasting effect on people’s career and life chances. In my role, I attend our annual Mentoring Works celebration events and am always moved by the really great experiences that those who mentor and are mentored have had. Often you can see how it is not just the young people who have gained from the relationship but also the mentors, who have supported them.

We really want to spread the word on what mentoring can mean. In our lead up to the 20 year celebration, we want to hear from everybody who has been involved in mentoring, be that on an ELBA programme or not. We hope to publish a collection of these stories to give out at our event in October, so everybody gets the message ‘Mentoring Works.’

How do I know mentoring works? I can see it within my work leading Education Works and also personally in my continued relationships with my own mentors who have guided and supported me as I have shaped my (rather long) career.

So please get writing and send your stories on ‘How I know mentoring works.’ Or ‘message to my mentor’ to mentoring@elba-1.org.uk.