Career Mentoring
Career Mentoring is a unique group mentoring programme that matches volunteers from a local business to work with a group of young people around careers and mentoring to relate school to future careers, improve communication and confidence and gain an insight into the workplace.
Research has found that career interventions with volunteers from the world of work can influence student’s future plans and subject choices, motivate them to study harder and support an improvement in academic attainment.
Importantly, it showed, for the first time, that lower achievers and less engaged learners responded best to this type of intervention.
Education and Employers Research study, ‘Motivated to Achieve’
Key Facts
We work with schools across Bristol, North Somerset, South Glos, Wiltshire and Bath & NE Somerset
The off the shelf programme consists of six 1 – 2 hr sessions where a group of 8 volunteers support a group of 12 – 15 students. Five are held in the workplace and the sixth in the school, over 6 - 12 weeks.
We can and do organise bespoke partnerships which may involve different arrangements, according to the needs and capabilities of both the school and organisation - as well as in person programmes we can also set up hybrid in person/online programmes so that your employees can get involved wherever they are based across the UK
Achieve Gatsby benchmarks
Career Mentoring (CM) offers schools tangible evidence of activity against four of the eight Gatsby benchmarks.
Encourage aspiration and achievement and improve behaviour and engagement
This programme targets pupils who are capable but may benefit from extra encouragement to fulfil their potential. Typically, they will be from disadvantaged backgrounds with low aspirations but high capability.
The students build relationships with the volunteer mentors who provide positive role models throughout the programme. Mentors impart knowledge of workplace skills, employability opportunities and pathways, inspiring and motivating students to widen their aspirations.
Activities encourage students to build confidence and communication skills, set goals and work out pathways to achieving them. Our volunteer business mentors can inspire and encourage them to realise the clear benefits of school, build their confidence and self-esteem and enable them to develop a clear and achievable career plan.
Support throughout
A dedicated Ablaze Project Manager introduces and supports this partnership from start to finish ensuring that all parties have a positive experience
Impact
Evaluation data collected to date shows that Career Mentoring has a tangible, positive impact on young people who take part:
Schools also report that behaviour and confidence dramatically increase for the majority of students that take part, with many students re-engaging with school.
Contact us to find out more.