ScreenSkills Announces Pan-UK Mentoring Drive

ScreenSkills has announced a pan-UK mentoring drive to support new and established professionals in the UK's screen industries.

The ScreenSkills Mentoring Network, supported by the BFI awarding National Lottery funds as part of its Future Film Skills strategy, aims to match 3,000 mentoring pairs by 2022.

ScreenSkills has brought together screen organisations who already offer mentoring to devise a standardised set of guidance and good practice to ensure maximum benefit to participants.

The next step is a recruitment drive to recruit new volunteer mentors at every level of British film, television, VFX, animation and games as well as candidates who would like to be mentored to further their career.

Seetha Kumar, ScreenSkills’ Chief Executive Officer, said: "We know that properly organised mentoring can help anyone in their career but there are particular benefits for those without a strong network of personal contacts in the industry.
"Mentoring is a very positive way for anyone working in UK screen to do their bit to help develop the next generation. We have pledged to find 3,000 pairs of mentors and mentees by 2022 so urge everyone to consider giving their time."

Amanda Nevill, BFI Chief Executive, said: "I am delighted to see ScreenSkills launch the Future Film Skills mentoring scheme, a key recommendation in the BFI Skills Strategy. The aim is to provide personalised and individual support across the industry.

"We will only develop people with first class skills if they are mentored and supported by the first-class practitioners in the industry, those who are generously ready to pass on their expertise and knowledge. Personal support like this is so confidence boosting, both creatively and professionally, which is why we have also just started to run a mentoring scheme here at the BFI for our own staff."

ScreenSkills has prepared resources explaining how to mentor, how to be a mentee, best practice guidelines for mentoring, how to run a mentoring programme and case studies of successful partnerships.

Mentoring is already part of key training programmes such as Trainee Finder, ScreenSkills’ flagship new entrant placement programme, and the Series Producer Programme that prepares television professionals to step up to series producer.