Mentoring Works

 

A mentor is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction.

Our flagship education programme,
Mentoring Works, matches volunteers from
local businesses to students in
secondary schools, colleges
and sixth forms across Islington.

Mentors and students develop a supportive relationship in which young people are encouraged to expand their visions of what they want to achieve in life, with a particular focus on careers.

Our mentoring programme offers students a vital employability focus that supports them to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the ever-changing job market.

Mentoring Works objectives:

  • Introduce young people to the world of work

  • Raise aspiration

  • Enable students to identify career goals

  • Increase students’ employability through the development of key skills and competencies

Skills Builder Universal Framework & Mentoring Works competencies

Since 2020 we have adopted the national Skills Builder Universal Framework into our mentoring programme, which has been developed to show students how to build essential skills at every stage of life. Mentors frame their sessions around helping students to develop these skills, so that by the end of the programme, students will have seen a marked improvement in all these areas.

Mentors and mentees explore the Skills Builder skills and two additional competencies throughout their sessions. These are: Listening, Speaking, Problem Solving, Creativity, Staying Positive, Aiming High, Leadership, Teamwork, Business Awareness and Confidence.

Read more about the Mentoring Works in the Skills Builder Impact Directory. The programme has achieved the Impact Level 4 for its continuing progress in essential skills.

 

Our secondary school partners

  • Arts and Media School Islington

  • Beacon High School

  • Central Foundation Boys School

  • City of London Academy Highgate Hill

  • City of London Academy Highbury Grove

  • City of London Academy Islington

  • Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School

  • Highbury Fields School

  • St Mary Magdalene School

Our college/Sixth Form partners

  • City and Islington College, Centre for Business, Arts and Technology

  • City and Islington Sixth Form College

  • City of London Academy Islington Sixth Form

  • City of London Academy Highgate Hill Sixth Form

  • Central Foundation Boys School Sixth Form

  • Highbury Fields Sixth Form

  • Upward Bound

Our business partners

  • Euromonitor International

  • Expedia Group

  • Macquarie Group

  • MUFG

    If your school or company is interested in any of the offers listed above or you would like more information, please email maria.tonchievici@thebigalliance.org.uk

Mentoring Works, but don’t just take our word for it …

“The impact of the programme on our young people has been amazing. Noticeably, this year’s cohort have increased in maturity and confidence. Our students have become more engaged with school and there has been a reduction in behaviour points. Students look forward to their mentoring sessions with excitement and have expressed that they feel better equipped to face the challenges of Year 11 and beyond.”

Kelly Tumbridge
Beacon High School

"My mentor has really helped me with my self-esteem. I now have the confidence to ask questions in class, which is something I would not previously have done.”

Year 10 mentee

“Our students really benefit from working closely with mentors, sharing ideas and really being encouraged to think about their plans moving forward. Mentors can be motivational and can really inspire our students with future applications to university and competitive degree apprenticeships or college leaver apprenticeships.”

Ben Orcese
CANDI Sixth Form