Aviva Community Fund has provided £1,814 of match funding
I LIKE NETWORKING 2024 Mentoring Scheme
London, England, United Kingdom
Aim
We're making space for everyone to join and thrive in the creative industries though mentoring & networking.
I LIKE NETWORKING is an award-winning career platform for women and non-binary people in the creative industries.
Our mission is to help individuals thrive in their creative careers, and connect companies and organisations with diverse talent and resources so that they can better support their workforce.
Our journey began in 2020, when our founder, amidst the pandemic's challenges, envisioned a platform to support underrepresented individuals in the creative sector. Since then, we've impacted over 700 mentees, with staggering results:
🚀 93.5% of mentees reported increased confidence.
🌈 77.4% experienced growth in their network.
💼 70.3% secured jobs or internships.
💡 Plus, 30.9% accessed funding opportunities!
We also share free resources and opportunities weekly to our online community of 45k+ across our platform.
We're one of the only schemes out there which have no age limit, focused on supporting women & non-binary individuals.
Why Mentoring & Networking?
In the creative and cultural industries recruitment often occurs through interconnected networks where one job opportunity can lead to another.
A person’s social capital and their network of contacts has a huge impact on their ability to compete, and is determined by a range of factors including socio-economic status, gender, race, class, and education.
This is why we are on a mission to redefine networking, and ensure that the door to the creative industries is open to all.
After a successful pilot scheme, we have encountered a few barriers.
1. People who are starting out need different support than those who have been working at the industry already for a few years.
2. With 1000 applications for our last programme, we need a new tech-powered solution to support the demand. Thus, we need the help of a data insights expert to help us create a new system to match mentors and mentees.
So we're gearing up for our next big venture: expanding our mentoring scheme designed to further empower diverse talents across the creative landscape. With your support, we'll leverage our expertise to foster inclusivity, innovation, and excellence.
How it will work:
- A group mentoring scheme for entry-level and junior people in the creative industries
- 1-1 Mentoring for people who have been working for 5+ years
Our goal is to support at least 100 more people in this round
Here's how we'll utilize the funds raised:
- Data Insights Manager: Your contribution will enable us to hire a skilled professional to help us create a system to match mentors and mentees which can respond to the demand we receive and ensuring our programs remain impactful and relevant and can be easily replicated
- Pay for software: Tech tools, from video-conference software to the mentoring platform
- Mentors Training and Workshops: We'll allocate funds to provide comprehensive training sessions for our mentors, equipping them with the tools and knowledge to guide mentees effectively.
- Staff Salaries: To ensure the smooth operation of the scheme, we'll allocate funds to cover staff salaries, ensuring dedicated support for our participants.
Together, we'll break down barriers, champion diversity, and cultivate a vibrant community of creative trailblazers.
Join us on this exciting journey to transform lives and shape the future of the creative industries!
Thank you for your support!
This project successfully funded on 25th June 2024