Our mentoring service is dedicated to matching young people from our current programmes, recent alumni, and anyone wanting personalised guidance into the creative industries, with committed creative professionals from their desired fields.
Over six months the pairings meet bi-monthly at a series of evening meetups designed to be informal and dynamic, held at The Good Growth Hub.
Our approach to mentoring introduces the key tenants of building constructive and mutually beneficial relationships with professional peers; including how to give and receive feedback, the various practical, guided, facilitatory, or sound-boarding approaches, tackling imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and more. By facilitating purposeful relationships between mentors and mentees through the mentor acting as a 'critical friend', participants develop bonds that stretch beyond the programme's duration, creating new networks and renewed confidence "in a world that too often is about who you know rather than what you know or how well you do it" – Fran Plowright, Mentoring curriculum Founder and Programme lead.
Mentors often feedback on the reciprocity they gain from this process, with professionals across the many sectors and seniorities of the creative, cultural, and digital sectors exchanging fresh ideas and perspectives and learning how to build varied working relationships – whilst supporting the next generation into their industries.
Since 2016, A New Direction's Employment & Skills team has successfully matched over 300 young creatives aged 18-30 from current and recent programmes with relatable industry mentors.