Exploring the true impact of
mentorship: in conversation
with our participants

Over 20 years ago, our founder and CEO discovered the value of mentoring when, as a lawyer, she started to mentor a young woman through a programme with a local school. This inspirational encounter led to the founding of Ahead Partnership and unlocked a passion which still powers the work that we do over 20 years on. 

Now, mentoring is one of the most impactful interventions embedded into the work we deliver, and is a core foundation of creating real change for young people. We wanted to mark this National Mentoring Day by sharing impactful stories from individuals who have been involved in mentoring work across a number of our programmes, highlighting the vital role that it can have for mentors and mentees alike.

For every mentor and mentee we have spoken to, the opportunity to engage in mentorship has opened new insights, opportunities and pathways for growth; unlocked new understanding and empathy through the connections they have made, and shaped the decisions they make going forward. 

Each participant attests to the value of this type of engagement, and we are proud to highlight the positive outcomes of our mentoring opportunities on those who have felt their impact most significantly. 

For mentor Keith Blundred, Partner and Head of Leeds Office at Capsticks LLP, his participation in our care leavers programme led to the development of a meaningful journey of growth for both himself and his mentee, whom he continues to mentor following the programme’s end last year. Keith felt able to leverage his experiences, particularly as a first generation University student, and the network he has built to create access for his mentee within the legal sector, who lacked any personal or professional connections to the sector. 

Keith said: “I was the first person in my family to go to university and nobody within my family works in the legal industry. I was aware that there were some mentees that were interested in the legal industry, so I felt that I could add a tangible benefit and use my professional experience in a way that would have real, measurable human impact.

“I understand from my own experiences and my own hurdles that early guidance can be life changing and especially for those that don’t have any network within whatever professional industry they want to work in. I thought that specifically, this programme creates access to those networks and that guidance and it isn’t just about providing very direct advice. That’s why I wanted to take part and also why I think initiatives like this are important.”

While sector expertise and access to professional networks can support mentees who are starting out in their careers, the guidance afforded by mentors extends far beyond industry insights. 

For Patience Ndlovu, Site Reliability Engineer at Sky, and an experienced mentor and tech advocate, the challenge came from stepping out of her comfort zone and mentoring someone outside of the tech industry.

Patience said: “My mentee seemed initially upset that she was paired with me because my background is in tech and she is interested in health and social science. She worried that we wouldn’t have anything in common, but as we got to know each other, I shared my background transitioning into tech and mentioned my network, especially how I’ve previously supported people with their careers in healthcare and in health tech specifically. My mentee came around to having me as a mentor and that set a solid foundation for the rest of the programme. 

“When I left that first session, I realised that mentorship is not only about industry knowledge, it’s about helping someone realise their potential, encouraging them to be open about their challenges and then helping them solve those problems independently by thinking outside the box. We all have so much to offer young people, including those wanting to work in industries other than our own.”

We launched another unique mentoring programme in 2024, to give young community volunteers from Leeds-based organisation CATCH the opportunity to engage with mentors from leading employers in the city. The scheme is designed to empower and guide its participants, helping them to better understand how to utilise the skills they have gained through volunteering in boosting their future career prospects. 

One of our mentors from the programme, Damine Patel, Content Designer at technology consultancy, Aire Logic, reflects on her work within the scheme.

Damine told us: “This is the second year I’ve taken part in the CATCH mentoring programme and I wanted to take part again as I really enjoyed it last year. I found it so rewarding to help my mentees see in themselves what I could see from the start.

“It’s really important to build your self confidence, especially as a young person. This is particularly significant when coming from a more challenging background, which can present more obstacles as you navigate the world of work. 

“I could see my mentees grow in confidence as the programme went on and I’ve since heard they’re doing incredibly well a year on. Helping these individuals to recognise what they’re capable of, what they had to offer all along, is really amazing.”

Sara, a young volunteer at CATCH Leeds, is about to embark on a new mentoring programme as a mentee, and looks forward to knowledge sharing and meeting new people through this work.  

Sara told us: “I’ve taken part in mentoring before at school and I’ve gotten so much out of it. I’ve learned from others and heard more about the opportunities they’ve had, their successes and mistakes, and really grown from understanding these experiences. I love talking to people so I’m excited to get different advice on navigating my next steps after school and explore the different opportunities that might be out there for me.”

The impact of mentoring stretches beyond mentors and mentees. As businesses increasingly recognise the role that they have in shaping future talent, mentoring is establishing itself as a vital bridge between education and employment. Through engaging in mentoring, employers are helping to build inclusive workplaces, raise young people’s aspirations, and drive innovative solutions to challenges that their business might face.

Keith shared: “Employers have a huge role to play in engaging young people through mentoring, whether through programmes like this or through the work that we do with students in local schools. It’s a way of allowing companies to connect with their communities and the communities they serve. And I think that in many ways, it helps bridge the gap between education and employment. That’s where we as employers can step in and help guide young people towards whatever their future career aspirations are.

“For employers, in terms of a benefit, it’s not just about corporate social responsibility. It allows us to help our junior staff develop their own empathy skills and to assist them in being more socially aware and understanding diversity of experience, which in turn really strengthens workplace culture.”

To find out more about Ahead Partnership’s work, visit: Ahead Partnership | About Us