Confidence has increased so much, she has developed new friendships with other girls who support encourage and empower which is so good. She looked forward to logging on and it kept her in a routine during the time off of school and mind off of COVID worries. Thank you so so much

TraceeParent

Thoroughly enjoyable and enriching!

Rikki Parent

Courtney really enjoyed the sessions initially she was reluctant to engage in the confidence-building 2 pm session. It was a brilliant well-designed programme that I would definitely recommend to other parents.

GeeroyParent

Yazmin said it was fun as you got to talk to the other girls who were kind and nice. The sessions were varied which kept up interest. She enjoyed the Connect and Craft sessions which always had something different to do. It was a nice concept especially during this time to keep Yazmin involved in various activities as well as meeting new friends too. She loved each day and always was excited to take part. The sessions allowed her to sharpen her time management skills as she was responsible for knowing the times and Zoom codes which she did independently…… she was even upset once when she woke up too late to attend! Thanks again for your sessions they were a lifeline.

Alison Parent

Carmen loved the sessions, she was quite reticent with her thoughts and feelings whilst on the virtual camp because she is often quite shy within unchartered territories; however, spoke very enthusiastically and positively with us about it afterwards. She walked away insisting that wanted to be bolder and more confident as she approached year 6 at school. Living in a very white middle-class environment has meant that Carmen has not always been as exposed to other ‘girls like her’ in her everyday life other than within her family social setting; BEAM has been the perfect right of passage for her in developing her confidence and self-belief in herself, knowing that she’s not as different as she thought she was when it comes to her appearance and her understanding of the world.

AbigayleParent

My daughter loved the camp. It helped improve her confidence and she enjoyed making new friends.

Parent

Enjoyable, she was always keen to join a BEAM session and create friendships.

Angela Parent

Na’zyia absolutely LOVED it, it has done wonders for her confidence and she has made some new friends which is lovely! Thank you so much to the team, you guys are awesome!

Joanna Parent

Murron loved the Beam Summer Camp – she eagerly returned to each session every day and commented so many times “I love it, mum.” I felt it was a safe environment with caring, motivating and inspiring leaders and role-models. The camp was a real God-send, in what has otherwise been a year of uncertainty and turmoil for our youngsters. Whilst their school and club communities were dissolved during the pandemic, BEAM offered the girls a place of belonging and a sense of fun and creativity. It gave them something to look forward to whilst reminding them of the importance of their self worth. As a mum, I felt it was a privilege for Murron to be a part of this group. A lot of thought and hard work clearly goes into making BEAM happen – Thank you so, so much!

Melanie Parent

My daughter made wonderful connections, helped build her confidence and creativity. Lovely to see her blossom.

Parent

The mentoring programme was one that I can personally say has contributed significantly to my personal growth and development. When applying for this programme I knew not of the substantial insight and advice that would begin to mould my character and self-esteem. Having a mentor has helped me through many challenges that I faced over the six-month period in the Pathway to Success Programme. During the pandemic, there were many obstacles that came about especially regarding my current and future life. Through my mentoring relationship, I was able to have a young successful woman, who shared her knowledge and experience to help me with my struggles. With the scheduled meetings and deadlines placed to complete little tasks that had contributed to my overall time-bound goals, I was able to unlock a better and stronger version of myself; one that was unlocking her true potential and growth more and more every day. Over the last six months, I have learnt more about myself than any other time period. Mentoring has really allowed me to look into myself to truly learn who I am and who I want to be. I believe it is very important for young women to have mentors as it can allow them to be encouraged and empowered through having another woman cheering them on and helping them to achieve their goals through solicited advice. I am now reaping the benefits of this so therefore I can confidently say, that every young girl needs to have a mentor

Tia ScottMentee

My mentor has most definitely opened my eyes and been there for me when I have had tough decisions to make, for example, sixth forms and universities. She also makes me think more into a certain decision or something such as a passion or interest. Her advice is always educational and helps me grow.

Over the past 6 months, I have learnt differences in passions, hobbies and interests. This helped me when it came to the choices of what I want to do in the future and where I see myself. Not only that but I have learnt all about time management and making sure I start making time for myself. I also gained guidance on creating my CV and personal values. My CV is now excellent and I can use it well. Also learning about personal values made me expand my knowledge and now lets me take time to sit and check-in with myself.

I would encourage young women to reach out for a mentor as they can really help guide you and help you grow, even in a small amount of time. With a mentor by your side, you can contact someone and talk to them when you need to as well as that; they can introduce you to new ways to improve certain ways you do something. For example: you might need a routine, this is where they can give you advice on how to properly make time for yourself whilst completing school work.

Annika Patel Mentee

Having a mentor has helped me look at situations from different perspectives and have a better outlook on life in general. I now have a new perspective on meeting new people and different types of people. It has also given me a person to talk through things with without judgement.

Over the last 6 months, I have learnt how to properly manage my time to reduce my stress in regards to my exams. I have also learnt how important it is to take a break from work in order to not overwhelm myself. My mentor has taught not to have a fixed perspective when meeting new people or a bias.

I think that young women should have a mentor for guidance and motivation especially in a society which is constantly trying to bash us down. A mentor is also important to give advice without judgement or shame in a world which is constantly trying to judge and shame young women. It also uplifts young women by giving us, role models.

Thank you for this opportunity

Deborah LajuwomiMentee

Hi, my name is Daniella Boateng and I’m a BelEve Mentee. I was introduced to the best mentor ever Prue, who has now become my role model. The mentoring scheme has helped me develop in so many ways from gaining practical advice by setting realistic goals and targets for myself that is attainable to achieve and also come up with different strategies for dealing with both personal and academic issues and coming up with plans to deal with it. I’ve truly learnt a lot from my mentor as I’ve been exposed to new ideas and ways of thinking.

During the lockdown, I held a few zoom sessions with young girls going into year 11 and helping them with their GCSE subjects giving them advice and tips and what to expect. Doing this has really pushed me out of my comfort zone. Daniella a few months ago was someone who used to doubt her accomplishment and lacked self-confidence and now Daniella is proud of her achievements and is striving to do better and break the cycle of negative self-talk and self-doubt.  I’m very thankful to BelEve and to my mentor Prue for the encouragement and guiding me in my personal development.

I would definitely recommend that every young girl gets a BelEve mentor because you learn so much about your mentor and their experiences, they help you increase your social and academic confidence and you also develop your communication, study and personal skills.

Daniella Boateng

 

Daniella BoatengMentee

Having a mentor has been a really amazing experience. It’s really comforting to know I have someone to talk to about what’s on my mind outside of my family and school environment. My mentor not only helps me with making important life decisions like choosing which university I want to go to, but she also helps me with things outside of education. For example, my dream job is to have my own modest streetwear brand one day, and Ella, my mentor, helped me to slowly make that dream into reality by talking through with me the steps I should take in order to start and that most importantly, I should just start!

Over the last six months, I have learnt to be more confident in who I am as a person and to believe in myself more. Also six months ago my dream of owning my own business was just that, a dream. However, six months later with the help of my mentor, I now believe in the idea I have and feel empowered to take the next step and start making clothes!

I would really encourage young women like me to have a mentor as it is an extremely beneficial experience that most companies or organisations would charge for. Having a mentor means that you can speak to them about anything that’s on your mind and they will always listen to you and do their best work to work with you to solve any issues or concerns you may have. Your mentor will support your dreams and aspirations and encourage you to believe in yourself and your abilities so that you can blossom into a strong, independent young woman.

Haneefa J RahmanMentee

Having a mentor benefited me because I’m able to have my application reviewed and edited so it’s to an even better standard. Also, having her to talk to in detail about my personal aspects as well as my school work. This has heavily impacted how I perceive my work as her guidance is always relevant to what’s best for me and future plans. What I’ve learnt over the past 6 months is getting a better insight into a Media-based job when talking to my mentor’s co-worker who has a job at Warner Bros.

I’ve also learnt from people she knows about an important tip when writing and detailing photos I’ve taken. And have also learnt from her feedback on the presentation/ideas of my work (websites, business plan etc) that could be improved.

I encourage young women to have a mentor because the extra guidance means that you definitely have the support you need to access opportunities and increase your chance of success. Meeting someone who has gone through the process and is already in their own working industry; they can apply and relate their experience to yours, and just be a supportive figure throughout any process/transition whether big or small.

Densie OyewoleMentee

Mentoring has benefited me as it has allowed me to ask any questions I may have about the corporate world. It has helped me be accountable for the tasks I had set myself thought my gap year and transition to my junior/ Trainee data engineer intensive Bootcamp then employee role (from A-Levels, not Uni). I have learnt in the last 6 months that you should take everything you see online with a pinch of salt even if is a person’s true reality they may be omitting large pieces of information that have got them there and finally to constantly set reminders to follow up on emails and opportunities as you never know even in pandemic situations may change. I would encourage young women to have a mentor as it allows you to proactively ask questions that can give you insights to your future and how you want to mould it as where you’re going your mentor has already been.  I would encourage girls to also be open to mentors from different sectors as my mentor is in HR and that was really useful in understanding office politics and navigating the workspace or running experiences of people in the workplace I heard through podcasts by her and hearing her perspective.

Thanks BelEve it has been a real delight, COVID actually made it easier our first meet up was in a Pret by London bridge and it wasn’t the easiest to get to so virtual meetups monthly where much better!

 

Nicole YumpiaMentee

Having a mentor has benefited me in so many ways. I have been able to narrow down my thoughts into what I want to do and ways to achieve it. My mentor also had some relatives in the area that I want to go into as well, so I was able to talk to people in the area and have a more in-depth knowledge about my desired area. Even though the pandemic did put a stop to in-person meetings, we still have meetings on WhatsApp and as much as possible keep each other up to date.

 In regards to what I have learnt over the last 6 months, I would say the biggest thing is to stop. To stop evaluate and truly understand what it is I want to do and not things I have to do because I said it once before. My mentor Dee was very helpful in this as she understood that it takes time to fully understand and dig deep into what you want to do. She was able to give me time, space and guidance which has helped me not only understand myself better but also what I want to do.

There are so many reasons to why I would encourage younger women to have a mentor, but my biggest encouragement would be the opportunity to have an outside opinion. In everything you do, your always so focused and when asking for feedback, it is usually from people you know or on your side, but with having a mentor, who has more experience and understands the world better allows you to hear their views and thoughts from another point of view. This is something that I believe that no matter where you are in life as a young /older woman in the world today their thoughts could just be the guidance you need.

Aiysha AlliMentee

Before applying for a mentor on the BelEve mentorship programme, hundreds of thoughts were racing through my mind. There were thoughts such as ‘What if they don’t like me?’ or ‘What if it’s awkward when we first meet?’ were the ones most prominent. Nevertheless, I continued with my application and eventually completed it. At first, I thought that me having a mentor would involve them telling me to do my homework and to wait till uni! Well, I can tell you now that I was very wrong.

When I was accepted into the mentorship program, I was ecstatic, and I was ready to meet the person that was going to mentor me for the next year. Now if I am going to be honest, at the mentor matching event there were so many amazing people to choose from. I thought I knew who I wanted as soon as I walked out of the room, and I did not get to meet the mentor I was given there. However, I was confident that BelEve was going to choose the right person for me.

I was matched with THEE Victoria Peppiatt, I know what you are thinking, Esther you meant the,  but no I mean THEE. For those who don’t know her, Vic is the COO of a revolutionary start-up tech company called Phrasee. Phrasee utilises AI to transform the way companies use email marketing. They combine Deep Learning and Natural Language Generation to create a human-sounding marketing language that captivates consumers to engage online. Phrasee works with companies all over the world such as eBay, Domino’s, Groupon and Virgin Holidays (to name a few).

Anyway, when we met for the first time in her office in London, our energy’s matched perfectly. I had a good feeling that it was going to be the start of an amazing relationship.

Before having a mentor, I didn’t have anyone to be accountable to. I would have these incredible ideas and goals that I wanted to reach, but I had no one to share these dreams with. With Vic, I was able to share my targets and make smarter ones (with time constraints of course!). For example, I wanted to get a head start on my UCAS application and my personal statement. I told Vic and she gave me tips on how to not procrastinate (she even sent me a book) and provided me with SMART targets to ensure that I met them.

Vic is one of the most encouraging and supportive people I have ever met. She celebrates my wins and corrects my mistakes with respect and love! She pushes me to be the best version of myself and always cheers me up with her vibrant and bubbly persona!

So what am I saying? If you are given the opportunity to be paired with a mentor with BelEve. TAKE ITTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! Their experience in any field (not just the one that you want to go into) can help with every goal you have as they have the right tools to advise you on any problem you might have!

I am extremely grateful to BelEve for having a programme that matches industry professionals to young ladies that want to go into similar fields. To anyone who is unsure of signing up for this programme, go for it! It changed my life and I’m sure it will change yours as well.

Esther Akinlosotu

Esther AkinlosotuMentee

Having a mentor has benefited me in a tremendous way. At the beginning of this year I was halfway through my second year of university and it was a time where having a mentor was one of the wisest decisions I have made as I am already preparing myself for postgraduate study and at that time it was important that I had the right guidance early on. It has allowed me to plan ahead and work each month on the steps I need to get there with the direction of a professional.

One of the key things that I have learnt from my mentor is the importance of reflection and self-awareness. Since I am looking to enter the healthcare sector in the future, one of the key skills needed by professionals in this industry is to reflect on their practice/actions and being aware of their weakness as well as their strengths and being able to be aware of how they can improve or change their actions. Other things I have worked on is presenting PowerPoints on certain topics to my mentor and getting feedback.

I would most definitely encourage young women to have a mentor as this direct one to one guidance especially from a professional in the prospective field of work they want to have a career in may not be available in their schools or area. It also would be a good experience of being able to build a mentor-mentee relationship over a long period of time.

 

Comfort AloMentee

Having a mentor has been a really amazing experience. It’s really comforting to know I have someone to talk to about what’s on my mind outside of my family and school environment.

My mentor not only helps me with making important life decisions like choosing which university I want to go to, but she also helps me with things outside of education. For example, my dream job is to have my own modest streetwear brand one day, and Ella helped me to slowly make that dream into reality by talking through with me the steps I should take in order to start and that I shouldn’t be afraid to give things a go.

Haneefa – Mentee

Wow, Saturday was incredible. You guys really created an amazing workshop. I feel very informed and ready for the year ahead with my mentee.

I’ve never really taken time out to do this but I would like to show my appreciation to the founders of BelEve UK and thank them for every opportunity they’ve presented me with. BelEve UK have inspired, empowered and supported me through several academic and personal scenarios in my life. As old as I am, I still need guidance and positive role models.

Imahra Skelly GilMentee

Interning at BelEve made me realise that being a writer was definitely the right career path for me. I had to write blogs as part of my internship and I thoroughly enjoyed writing about different topics that affected young girls and women. It was an opportunity to express my opinion and give BelEve’s website a personal touch. Chyloe and Ashleigh were very supportive and understanding throughout my internship. Their passion and dedication to BelEve is inspiring.

KwakuBelEve Intern

Working for BelEve has been an exciting opportunity for me. This small and intimate organisation has enlightened me to the hard work these lovely ladies put into their girls. I inherited various responsibilities across departments such as, design, research, marketing and social media, which I wouldn’t have otherwise working for a larger company. This has now provided me with a wide range of skills which can help me further my career in this sector.

Demi YarwoodBelEve Intern

BelEve is an organisation with a social mission to empower girls to foster strength of character, change the way they view and feel about themselves, and embrace their unique individuality. Since working with our girls at Sandhurst Primary School we have noticed a definite paradigm shift in the way our girls view and feel about themselves by changing the way they think and act one step at a time.

Mrs Stephanie TaylorClubs Administrator Sandhurst Primary School

On behalf of Lambeth Career Clusters and our partner organisation London South Bank University, I would like to thank the whole team for the excellent work undertaken throughout the delivery of BelEve’s most innovative and inspiring programme for Looked After Children in secondary schools. The impact of your well planned and executed sessions on students was profound, enabling them to further formulate plans around future careers and develop their personal aspirations.

Juliet WilliamsProject Manager Lambeth Career Clusters

BelEve Uk have delivered 2 programmes at Addey and Stanhope school. Each time I have found the facilitators an absolute pleasure to work with, they are well organised and build a special rapport with the girls in the group. I have recognised positive changes in students on completion of the programme. The girls are more driven and have started to explore their thought process more in relation to decision making for their future.

NadineAddey and Stanhope School