Cohort
Session Details
Each Meet a Mentor session brings together the cohort of mentors and mentees and allows each pairing the opportunity to catch up and work together to achieve set goals. The sessions focus on different themes and topics pertinent to roles within the creative industries such as pitching, branding, coding and UX and responding to design briefs. There is also a guest speaker who shares their insight into the journey to their job.
Session 1: Wednesday 30th November 2016
Session 2: Wednesday 11th January 2017
Session 3: Wednesday 8th February 2017
Session 4: Wednesday 15th March 2017
Mentor only session: 16th November 2016
Mentee only session 1: Friday 4th November 2016, 2 - 4pm
Mentee only session 2: Wednesday 16th November 2016, 5 - 6pm
Our mentors came to us from:
Wallpaper*, One Stop Films, BBC Radio 1Xtra, Splice, Pollard Thomas Edwards, Time Inc, Somethin' Else, BBC Storyville, Snap London, Paul Smith, Dazed Group.
Our second programme ran in partnership with Create Jobs.
Wednesday 30th November 2016
'Don't Be Afraid Because Everybody Else Probably Is'
The mentees and mentors were paired and introduced to each other and began the session by setting goals. The session also included a skills workshop called 'Life's a Pitch', led by Somethin' Else's Hannah Lury and Lucy Madge. The group were treated to a whistle stop tour of all you need to know about pitching, including top tips and do's and don’ts. The room was then divided up into small groups to respond to a timed brief and to plan and deliver pitches. After a short planning session, the teams then presented back to the wider group. The evening ended with a talk and Q&A by Ahmed Hussain (Head of Prison Radio) titled, 'Don't Be Afraid Because Everybody Else Probably Is.’ Ahmed's talk included his own career journey, ways to stand out from the crowd and advice on how to create rather than wait for opportunities.
Wednesday 11th January 2017
'From Postboy to Playlist Controller'
The mentees and mentors used the one-on-one time to catch up, update and discuss successes and setbacks. The session featured a skills workshop called 'How to Create a Killer Marketing Strategy,' led by communications specialist, Elizabeth Benjamin. This workshop included tips, tricks and dos and don'ts for marketing a film or television programme. The group then broke up into smaller groups to plan and feedback on their marketing strategies. The evening ended with a talk and Q&A titled 'From Postboy to Playlist Controller' with Ryan Newman, Music Editor for BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra. Ryan's talk included his first steps into radio and tips on how to take advantage of all opportunities.
Wednesday 8th February 2017
'How a Bad Student Can Become a Great Teacher'
The third session was held at Pollard Thomas Edwards Architects in Diespeker Wharf. The evening began with a breakout session, which gave the mentors and mentees a chance to catch up and discuss the importance of 'Being Confident and Clear.' The session included a skills workshop called 'Working with Brands' led by our two-time mentor and SNAP London's Managing Partner, Louisa Tapper. In this workshop, Louisa introduced the group to brand management concepts and set the group the task of looking after the interests of a specific brand. The evening ended with a talk and Q&A titled 'How a Bad Student Can Become a Great Teacher ' with Dolly Eniola, a Code First: Girls Ambassador and Digital Transformation Consultant at Freeformers. Dolly spoke about how her passion motivated her to pursue a career in tech.
Wednesday 15th March 2017
'A Journey with No Clear Skills'
Our fourth and final session was held at ustwo and began with a mentor and mentee catch up session. The mentees revisited the goals they had set at the beginning of the programme and celebrated their achievements, remarked on their goals and created new ones. The group shared their experiences and their steps beyond the programme. Piers Bradford, the Managing Director at Project Everyone led a workshop on the Sustainable Development Goals and how to disrupt traditional ways of thinking to engage a younger generation. The evening ended with a guest talk from Ronojoy Dam, the Creative Director of Dazed Media, titled 'A Journey with No Clear Skills.' The talk charted Ronojoy's career, transitioning from a fan of Dazed to an influencer of culture.
