The power of mentoring

As a University we have a long tradition of our staff playing an active role in our local communities. Many of us are members of advisory boards, trustees, governors, or volunteers with community groups. Many of us also have formal and informal mentoring roles with people of all ages and from diverse backgrounds. In whichever form this civic engagement comes the personal and professional rewards are often immeasurable.

I know first-hand the benefits of mentoring, both as a mentee and as a mentor. Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have been mentored by people who have encouraged, motivated and supported me to reach my full potential. I have also had the privilege and incredibly rewarding experience of mentoring young people to help them develop their own leadership skills, employability skills and unlock their potential.

This is why I have chosen to support One Million Mentors, a nation-wide initiative run by Uprising, that is taking a pioneering approach using latest technology in order to transform the process of mentoring. The purpose of One Million Mentors is to train, recruit and connect a million mentors to a million young people in the UK to help them maximise their talents and get into the world of work, over the next 10 years.

This is a very timely initiative, particularly in this post-Brexit era where deep divisions have been exposed within communities and between generations. It is more important than ever for us all to play our part in supporting young people to use their talents and skills to make a positive contribution to our society. If you would be interested in getting involved with One Million Mentors, you can find more information here and a link to the sign up form.