The Browngirl Mentoring Programme
The UK’s first mentoring programme designed to positively impact and enrich the lives of South Asian girls.
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The Programme
We offer browngirls aged 14-21 the opportunity to be mentored so they can receive career guidance, as well as explore culturally specific issues with a South Asian female mentor. Our programme is highly structured, goal-oriented and provides ample support for both mentors and mentees.
Only 1 hour a month commitment is required. More information is available in our mentor application guide.
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Our Mentors
Our mentors are from all industries (including students at university!) and belong to a diverse range of South Asian backgrounds. We encourage everyone who identifies as a South Asian female to apply. No mentoring experience is necessary, as we offer bespoke mentoring training before mentors begin their sessions.
Upon applying, you are automatically a part of our mentoring network. We will get in touch when we find a suitable mentee for you.
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Our Mentees
Our programme gives mentees a non-judgemental and confidential space to connect with a mentor who can understand their perspective. Many of our mentors offer academic and career coaching advice and are from a variety of backgrounds, from creative careers such as photography and fashion, to law and medicine.
Together, you can work to discover new skills and achieve more clarity about your career and personal journey.
Corporate Partnerships
We’re dedicated to bridging the gap between corporations committed to diversity and inclusion and talented South Asian women and girls seeking professional growth. Through our corporate partnership program, companies from all industries have the opportunity to empower their workforce and enhance their brand through our South Asian mentorship initiative.
Our mentoring program not only cultivates diversity but also serves as a catalyst for talent development and retention within organisations. Employees who participate as mentors gain invaluable leadership skills, coaching abilities, and cross-cultural communication competencies, leading to higher retention rates and a stronger, more purpose-led and fulfilled workforce.
If you are a company interested in partnering with us to foster diversity and talent development in your organisation, please email aaminah@forwardculture.co with "corporate partnership" as the email subject.
Educational Partnerships
We partner with schools, colleges and universities across the UK to deliver culturally-specific mentoring to South Asian female students. We also offer bespoke training packages for universities who would like to implement a peer-mentoring programme for students.
Our mentoring programme is tailored to address culturally-specific challenges that many South Asian women face. These issues can range from academic and career guidance, intergenerational conflict and culture clash to topics such as body image, sexuality and mental wellbeing.
If you are a university, school or educational institute who would like to find out more and offer our programme to your students please fill out the form below.
Listen to the feedback
Listen below to what our mentors and mentees have to say about our programme, its impact and why you should sign up and become a mentor with us.
“This has been such a valuable experience. It was an amazing opportunity to talk about my interests and career ambitions with someone who knew the industry [I wanted to go into]. Talking to my incredible mentor about my own goals and career plans gave me so much confidence and clarity.”
— Riddhi, ForwardCulture mentee, 2021
Want to get involved?
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For Mentors
Click here to read our mentor application guide.
Click here to fill out an application form.
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For Mentees
We are currently only accepting mentees through schools, colleges and universities.
If you think your institution would be interested in hosting the programme then please get in touch here.
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For Educational Institutes
Click here if you are interested in partnering with us to deliver mentoring to your institute’s students.
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For Companies
If you would like your company to partner with us please email aaminah@forwardculture.co with “corporate partnerships” as the email subject.