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Get a mentor

Arts Emergency provides 16-18 year olds with free mentoring, support and community to help them pursue a career they’re passionate about.

Applications to get a mentor are now OPEN!

Let Elisha and some of our other mentees tell you all about having a mentor, or scroll down to read about it instead.

Video edited by Lilla Nyeki

What does being a mentee look like?

As a mentee with Arts Emergency, you will get a year of 1:1 support from a trained mentor who works within the creative industries. We will match you with a mentor based on your interests and the career you may be hoping to go into in the future. Our mentors provide information, advice and guidance, supporting your next steps after school or college. You will also be able to expand your support network through the young community and meeting other creatives.

You can find out more information on mentoring on our FAQ page.

Who can apply?

The mentoring programme is available to young people living in London, Greater Manchester or Merseyside who are preparing to take their first steps out of compulsory education (e.g. college or sixth form) and thinking about a future in the creative or cultural industries.

After completing a year of mentoring, mentees remain part of the Young Community where they can access networking and development opportunities until their 26th birthday.

We try to work with young people who most need the support of an Arts Emergency mentor, and therefore mentees should meet at least one of the criteria below:

  • Your parents or carers didn’t attend university in the UK or abroad
  • The main household earner when you were 14 had a ‘working class’ occupation (i.e. a technical or craft occupation; a routine, manual, or service occupation; or was long-term unemployed)
  • You have been eligible for free school meals
  • You are receiving the government's 16-19 bursary
  • You consider yourself as being from an ethnic minority background
  • You consider yourself to be disabled
  • You consider yourself to have a learning disability or special education need

If you are not sure about your eligibility for the mentoring programme and would like to talk to a member of the team please get in touch.

Application Advice

You don't need any experience or qualifications to join the Arts Emergency mentoring programme. You just need to be curious about the arts, humanities or creative and cultural worlds, and committed to showing up and participating in the mentoring programme by meeting your mentor once a month for 12 months.

Before you start your application

  • Have a think about the time commitment. Will you be able to meet with your mentor once a month, for an hour or so, for 12 months starting in January?
  • Consider what your goals might be over the next couple of years... what do you enjoy doing? Are you thinking about applying for university? Are you looking for your first job after studying?
  • While your parents or guardian’s do not need to give permission for you to join this programme, we prefer to notify them. Most young people nominate a parent or guardian as their emergency contact. We advise that you speak to them about this and let them know that you are applying for a mentor. If it’s not possible to gain your parent’s permission, you will have the option of nominating someone else such as a teacher or social worker

Completing the application

  • You are able to start your application and return to it later if you don’t want to complete it all at once. To do this, click the ‘Save my progress and resume later’ button at the top and bottom of the application window
  • We recommend spending no more than an hour on the application
  • We advise you to complete the application on a computer, tablet or laptop rather than a phone
  • When you’re answering the questions, there are character limits to help you keep your answers concise
  • If you find it difficult to communicate through writing, for example if you have dyslexia, you can also complete your application over the phone. Email mentoring@arts-emergency.org to schedule this

Arts Emergency is here to help you explore your options wherever you are or whatever your goals, so the more truthful and detailed you are in your application the easier it will be to match you with the right mentor.

Highlights from the Mentoring Celebration 2023. Filmed at edited by Ayah Khan

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