Jurgita’s experience as a Mentoring Works volunteer
Name: Jurgita Biceika
Company and role:
Euromonitor International, Sales Director
BIG Alliance programme: Mentoring Works
Why did you decide to volunteer on this specific programme?
It’s incredibly rewarding to connect with the young person, have meaningful conversations and see them and yourself developing skills you’ve not even been thinking about.
How have you found the programme so far? What have you enjoyed?
The programme has clear focus on skills and competences that are critical in life; we liked the suggested structured approach and engaging materials. Since our mentoring was done over the phone, we did lots of quizzes and had plenty of discussions. I hope my mentee will apply what she has learnt and use the tools we have provided her with in the future.
What do you hope to have achieved by the end of it?
I wanted my mentee to start getting to know herself a bit better, be able to identify her strengths and reflect on areas she wants to focus on in the future. I think we have achieved what we wanted as she has clearly opened up, become more confident and self-aware. I hope she will keep reflecting on the topics we discussed.
What advice would you give to your colleagues who are thinking about volunteering?
Just do this! It doesn’t matter how busy you are, these 30 mins a week spent with the student will bring you satisfaction and will be a fantastic get-away from your fast-paced life. It is also amazing to connect with the young person, support them in their thinking and overall get to know how young people think today - in fact, you can learn from them a lot.
Do you work for a company or community organisation that would be interested in the Mentoring Works programme? If so, contact maria.tonchievici@thebigalliance.org.uk