The mentoring initiative by the not-for-profit, I have a voice, is expanding from its initial 15 mentorships to support 80 young people pursue careers in the public affairs sector.
The nine-month programme offers one-to-one support for young people with a background typically under-represented in the industry. Out of the 80 mentees 51 are female, 33 identify as an ethnic minority, 27 are from low-income households, 17 identify as LGBTQ+ and 7 have a disability.
Mentees will benefit from one-to-mentoring from professionals across the sector who will develop their mentees’ knowledge of the UK political system and help them to get work-ready. The mentees will also have the opportunity to grow their network through a range of workshops and talks from industry experts.
The scheme has been made possible by the support of Astellas Pharmaceuticals, National Grid, WA Communications, GK Strategy and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).
Rebecca Deegan, CEO & Founder said “I am thrilled that we’re going to be able to support so many young people this year. The support from across the public affairs sector has been overwhelming. We have mentors from a range of public affairs teams, including agencies, charities, professional bodies and corporates. A good mentor can change a person’s life. I can’t wait to see the outcome for this year’s mentees.”
Alastair McCapra, CEO, Chartered Institute of Public Relations commented “We're incredibly proud to support I have a voice and their incredible work to engage and educate young and under-represented people in our political processes and to empower them to pursue a career in public affairs. Our democracy relies and thrives on these voices being heard and programmes like this are invaluable to help people understand the most effective ways to do that. I want to wish all the mentees the best of luck on the programme and look forward to hearing and seeing how each of you fare in this journey."
Michelle Hubert, Group Head of Public Affairs and Policy at National Grid said “National Grid is delighted to be supporting I have a voice. We’re striving to build a business that represents, reflects and celebrates the cultures and communities we serve. As part of that, it’s vital that we have talent from all walks of life represented across our teams.”
Dominic Church, Managing Director, WA Communications commented “WA is proud to be supporting the I have a voice mentoring scheme for a second year. A diverse public affairs workforce is vital to the progression in not just our sector but in politics and society more widely. WA is looking forward to playing our part in supporting a wider range of backgrounds to join the world of public affairs.”