Sixty prospective mentors from Marks & Spencer gathered at Westminster Academy on 16th July for an information session on the upcoming 2013/2014 Enterprise Challenge. The Session was led by Mosaic’s National Director Jonathan Freeman and Head of Operations Kim O’Reilly and Hussein Hijazi from Westminster Academy.
The breakfast meeting was designed to encourage as many M&S staff as possible to sign up to Enterprise Challenge training at their Paddington Head Office on 1st October from 10am-1pm and on 17th October from 6pm-9pm. This will be the second year that M&S has supported our mentoring initiatives and hosted our Enterprise Challenge training.
After the event, Mosaic’s National Director Jonathan Freeman commented: “A great and inspiring event, providing information to 60 prospective M&S mentors on Mosaic’s Enterprise Challenge Programme. I am delighted by the success of the Information Session and grateful of their support with changing young peoples’ lives. On behalf of Mosaic, I would like to thank our generous hosts at M&S: Head of Sustainable Business, Mike Barry and Head of GM Merchandising Operations and Programmes, existing mentor and great friend of Mosaic, Maz Majid, for their continued support.”
Mosaic Mentee Mariam Kayul from Westminster Academy School commented: “I am privileged to have been mentored by Maz Majid 3 years ago at Westminster Academy through Mosaic. The mentoring affects you in a positive way, before Mosaic I was very shy and wouldn’t talk much, however when I visited M&S on World of Work Visit I was told I was asking too many questions! My self confidence and creative skills have improved since being mentored on this programme. I think it is vital to have a mentor because mine helped me develop my communication and many other skills. I am also very happy about the other opportunities I have got from mentoring – I am looking forward to gaining work experience at M&S through my mentor!”
Maz, who is also Mosaic London’s Regional Leadership Group Vice-Chairman and has been supporting us as a mentor for the past four years, commented: “I went into mentoring with my eyes wide open, wanting to change a child’s life. These kids don’t have the same resources that was offered to us when we were younger, unless we reach out and show these kids our world, they aren’t going to get a change! When the kids tell you it works, believe the hype! My advice to you as new mentors is – Take control, Be relevant, Make that connection. And most importantly – if you don’t help them, who will?”
Find out more about the plans for Enterprise Challenge 2013/2014
Mosaic London is now recruiting mentors to support programme delivery commencing in the autumn term. Anyone interested in becoming a mentor should contact anu.atewologun@bitc.org.uk
