In the UK, students from poorer backgrounds have significantly less access to creative careers. A combination of unpaid internship culture, lack of role models and cuts to career services in schools have contributed to an incredibly uneven playing field. Helping to address this, Pitch It is a social enterprise that helps industry professionals looking to improve their management skills, by enabling them to mentor disadvantaged Londoners.
The program is aimed at creative industry staff who are looking to take on senior management roles but do not yet have the skills. Employers pay a fee of GBP 200 for promising staff to join the scheme and enter the 16 week programme. Each mentor is assigned a young person — between 16-24 years old — who is interested in pursuing a career in their industry. As well as weekly one-on-one meetings with their mentee, the participant also receives a series of training workshops in coaching, the psychology of management and leadership styles.
Pitch It works with creative professionals currently employed in industries including photography, film, journalism, fashion, design, advertising and music. Could this scheme work in other industries too?
Website: www.pitchit.london
Contact: hello@pitchit.london
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