The Beginning
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Our first session took place in 2016 at Made by Many, with initial funding from the RSA Catalyst Fund and support from award-winning youth charity A New Direction. Ten young creatives were selected and paired with ten brilliant industry mentors. We programmed a CV and job application workshop fromindependent production company Somethin’ Else and invited DJ and broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake to give our first inspirational talk.
The idea and format were simple: warm and welcoming monthly evening meet-ups over some nice food, a dedicated mentor to champion each mentee over time, and an introduction to a like-minded community where people could be honest, make connections and flourish.
Meet a Mentor was born.
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The Middle
Meet a Mentor partners with organisations to offer bespoke, supportive mentoring programmes for young upcoming and established mid career talent, fostering a nurturing and supportive environment for creatives to advance their careers.
Sessions include networking, one-on-one mentor-mentee time, often concluding with an inspiring TED-style talk or masterclass or workshop.
Venues who have hosted meet ups include: Google, Somerset House, Sony Music Entertainment, Ustwo, FCB Inferno, V&A, Airbnb, Karmarama and GPJ Johnson, these informal yet dynamic evenings are designed to be both enjoyable and enriching. Mentors frequently find the experience reciprocal, gaining insights into their own practices while giving back to the creative community.
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To date, Meet a Mentor has matched coming up for 400 mentor-mentee pairs, helping mentees secure roles at leading organisations including: Aardman, BBC, Channel 4, Framestore, Fremantle UK, Grey London, Hachette, ITV, Macmillan, Mindhouse, Mitre Studios, Objective Media Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Untold Studios, VCCP, We Are Social, as well as successful freelance positions including roles on recent blockbuster and independent films likeThe Odyssey and The Invite.
Our mentors come from companies across Audio (radio + podcasting), TV, Film, Branded Content, Digital content production.
Meet a Mentor is proud to partner with organisations like Sony Music Entertainment, The Audio Academy, Fremantle UK, The Podcast Show to co-design and curate fit for purpose programmes, mentoring opportunities, coaching and leadership workshops for emerging and established creatives at different stages in their careers.
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Now
