Become a Mentor
Join a community of Black women mentoring Black girls aged 14–18 as they build confidence, explore their goals and take their next steps.
You don’t need to have mentored before or have everything figured out. What matters is that you can listen with care, offer encouragement and build a steady mentoring relationship with a Black girl as she explores her own questions, goals and next steps.
We welcome Black women from every career path and stage. You might be a creative, carer, founder, teacher, doctor, solicitor, project manager, freelancer, changing careers or something else entirely.
Whatever your path, you have perspective and lived experience to bring. Through mentoring, you can share that with care while being part of a community championing Black girls.
Mentoring Programme
We’re currently recruiting mentors for our 2026/27 mentoring programme, which runs from September 2026 to July 2027.
Our programme runs in three waves, beginning in:
September 2026
October/November 2026
January 2027
All mentoring relationships run until July 2027. When you submit your application form, you can tell us which wave you would like to be considered for.
What we’re looking for:
We’re looking for Black women who are:
of African, Caribbean, or Black mixed heritage
warm, reliable and committed to championing Black girls
able to commit to 1 hour of mentoring per month for the academic year
able to spend up to 20 minutes per month arranging sessions, checking in with the Catalyst Team and completing a short post-session feedback form
Our Onboarding Process:
As part of joining us, we’ll guide you through a simple onboarding process. This includes:
an informal interview with a member of the Catalyst Team
completing a DBS check
providing details of 2 character references
attending a mandatory safeguarding training session
You’ll receive training before mentoring begins, and the Catalyst team will support you throughout the programme with resources, guidance and a designated point of contact for your mentoring pair.
Mentoring FAQs
Where do mentors need to be located?
Most mentoring sessions take place online, so mentors can be based anywhere in the UK.
Because our partner schools and many of our community events are in London, it can be helpful if mentors live or work nearby, or are open to travelling to London occasionally.
We also hold an end-of-year celebration event in Central London, which mentors and mentees are encouraged to attend where possible.
What's the time commitment?
Mentors commit to one 1:1 mentoring session per month with their mentee. Sessions usually last around 1 hour and take place online.
You may also need up to 20 minutes per month to arrange sessions, respond to your mentor coordinator and complete short feedback forms.
We also run community and social events throughout the year. These are a valuable part of the programme, and we encourage mentors to attend where they can.
What experience do I need?
You don’t need to have mentored before or worked with young people.
We provide training, guidance and ongoing support to help you feel prepared. What matters most is that you can listen with care, offer encouragement and build a steady mentoring relationship with a Black girl.
If you do have experience of mentoring, teaching, youth work or supporting young people, that’s welcome too.
Who will my mentee be?
Our mentees are Black girls aged 14–18 who join the programme through partner schools across London or through our Open Access Mentoring programme, which supports Black girls across England.
All mentees complete an application process and receive parent or guardian consent before joining the programme.
What happens outside of mentoring?
Every mentoring pair is supported by a mentor coordinator, who will be your first point of contact for questions, updates or any challenges that come up.
Your coordinator will help keep the relationship on track, share session ideas and support you throughout the programme.
We also run group trips and events throughout the year, giving mentees the chance to build community, explore new opportunities and learn from Black women across different career paths. Mentors may also be invited to socials and community moments where they can spend time with their mentee and connect with other mentoring pairs.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please complete the form below.
