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The University of Manchester’s ementoring scheme matches young people at school with undergraduate mentors. These mentors give them guidance and advice on careers, study and university life. As well as a branded ementoring website, there is a comprehensive training programme for mentors, which gives them the skills to effectively build rapport and support their mentee.

We have taken advantage of Brightside’s pioneering ementoring software at the University of Manchester since its inception. They are the clear market leader in this product and share our vision for producing innovative, bespoke solutions that support young people in their increasingly complex educational and career journeys.
Julian Skyrme, Head of Undergraduate Recruitment and Widening Participation, University of Manchester

Birmingham City University is using its Ask BCU ementoring scheme to help two student cohorts at two distinctive stages.

Stage 1 supports students who have been offered a place at BCU. These students are matched with an undergraduate mentor who can give them advice and support on all aspects of university life to prepare them for the transition to higher education.

Stage 2 supports BCU students in their penultimate and final years to prepare for employment. Business mentors, including BCU Alumni, will support their journey from university into employment by giving relevant advice and guidance.

Working with Brightside has given the Employment Zone Team at Birmingham City University the unique opportunity to support our students, increase their career aspirations, and to develop valuable links with mentors in business and members of our Alumni.
Sharon Farrow, Birmingham City University

In partnership with BT, Brightside has developed the IT Ambassadors site, which facilitates supportive mentoring relationships for school students and teachers focused on Information Technology. Launched in 2010, IT Ambassadors is tailored to support students studying the 14-19 IT diploma, by linking them up with mentors working in the IT and communications industry. The site is also used by IT professionals mentoring teachers to keep them up to date with industry developments and to give them an insight into how IT is used in the world of work. BT staff engage with the project ona number of different levels, including enrolling as mentors, producing scheme-specific content and uploading their own career profiles to illustrate the wide range of opportunities available in the IT and communications industry.

This is a great opportunity for BT to give something back to our education establishment by sharing our IT expertise to support students in their IT learning.
Dana Crandall, BT Managing Director

Cardiffmentoring.com is Cardiff University’s own customised ementoring platform, developed by Brightside. Launched in 2010, Cardiffmentoring.com builds upon the relationship established between Brightside and University of Wales College of Medicine (UWCM) in 2002, and which has developed through UWCM’s merger with Cardiff University in 2005.

Cardiffmentoring.com is widely used throughout the university to support initiatives with a specific focus on the following areas:

• Healthcare
• Mature students – transition from a FE College to university
• Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) students
• Languages inc. Welsh

Cardiffmentoring.com is also a core feature in Cardiff University’s Step Up to University scheme, which is designed to encourage pupils from schools in disadvantaged areas to consider Higher Education as an option and support them in transition. Step Up To University pupils are offered the opportunity to sign up to Cardiffmentoring.com at the beginning of Year 11 if they are interested in either healthcare or languages. Mentees who have participated on the Step Up scheme and are now studying at Cardiff University then also become mentors.

Ementoring is a rewarding experience for both mentors and mentees. Having experienced both sides, I would strongly encourage current students to become mentors and younger people to take the opportunity of being mentored when possible. For the mentee, it allows them to find answers to difficult questions which may contribute to important decisions about their chosen future career. For students, it allows them to describe what they have been through, give something back to the next generation and develop communication skills to enhance their personal development even more.
Katerina Walach, second year medical student, Cardiff University

Brightside are proud to be working with Allen & Overy on Smarter Futures, a customised ementoring website for young people from disadvantaged backgrounds who are interested in a career in business. Smarter Futures has been developed to initially help students who participated in the Smart Start Experience, a programme for over 100 students aged 16-17 from disadvantaged parts of London to get an insight in to the world of business.

Smarter Futures builds upon this programme by offering students an online mentor with whom they can discuss topics of key importance to them, providing students with long-term support and Allen & Overy staff with more flexible opportunities to volunteer.

Smarter Futures is about giving the students contact with someone who can offer a different perspective to the one provided by teachers, parents or friends.
Jane Masey, HR Policy & Diversity Manager, Allen & Overy