Mentoring with The Girls’ Network
Image credit: The Girls’ Network
Where and how my journey into mentoring began
Have you ever come away from something feeling energised and inspired? Or made to believe that you could make a positive impact to someone or something?
Well, this is often the case after nearly every UK For Good meeting but in all honesty, don’t always follow through. However, there was one occasion in particular that left me compelled to get involved.
The Girl's Network: An inspiring initiative
After hearing Charly Young speak at our September 2022 meeting about The Girls’ Network - what they did, and more importantly why they did it - a nerve was definitely struck. Charly was one of two young secondary school teachers who, after ‘witnessing the multiple barriers facing girls in their classrooms’ recognised the need for change and wanted to improve access to opportunities, developing confidence, self-belief and skills.
Charly shared stories where the girls felt that any real career aspirations were unrealistic and many opportunities were so far away from them there was no point trying. This left me thinking about how fortunate I’d been with my own opportunities, as well as how I'd feel if my daughter lacked the belief that she could do - or be - anything she wanted to. And it just felt so unfair.
Sign me up to be a mentor! Well, maybe...
Never in a million years did I think I could be a mentor for anyone. Let alone a high school student who - facing some of the biggest decisions of her life - was looking for guidance and advice. But in my impulse to join the team who help empower these young girls, I ignored all of those fears and doubts.
And before I knew it, I was learning how to be a mentor
Then it hit me. What had a done?!? What on earth could I offer this impressionable young girl?! And what if I screwed it all up and completely wasted her time! Not to mention opening myself up to the judgement of high school girls again after nearly 25 years! So I tried not to think of all that and just focused on being there and I'm really glad I did!
I nervously attended the local matching event in November, where with a few awkward ice breakers and quick introductions to each of the mentees, I was successfully matched with Freya. I felt instantly relieved and knew we were a good match as we talked about our interests and what we hoped to get out of our mentoring sessions.
So far the mentoring has been good, for real!
Through a combination of face to face and zoom sessions, we’re now halfway through our mentoring programme and I'd say it’s going pretty well. The network resources and session guides are great but I still feel like I waffle on about everything and nothing from time to time. Freya assures me it’s all very useful though. And between you and me I came away from today’s session feeling particularly good after Freya said she enjoyed our sessions and wouldn’t want another mentor, so hopefully I’m doing something right. And as for Freya, she is definitely going places, and if I can help her realise her potential and advise her on some of the steps she can take to get there, it is all totally worth it.
Empowering young women
Creating a better future for the girls - regardless of background, gender or parental income - will always be at the centre of The Girls Network. So, we thought what better way to celebrate International Women’s Day than to share a little bit about what being a part of this, as a female led business, means to us.
For anyone thinking of being a mentor or looking to get involved with a great charity then I’d highly recommend it. High school girls aren’t half as scary as I remember them to be and the difference you could make to one is invaluable.
Find out more about The Girls’ Network here
(Names have been changed for safeguarding purposes.)
Do you want to fuel your marketing success with seriously good video and animation?
Click on the button below and see how we can help you with your next project!
And if you liked this blog then please share it with your content and marketing contacts and tell them to follow @itsmajestical to be kept up to date with more ambitious video production and animation success.
You might also like:
We well and truly threw our small creative business into B Corp Month 2024. Here we share what we did, what we learnt, and what we’ll do differently next time…