Nus Ghani, Vice Chair of the UK’s first All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Mentoring, attended the Diana Award Reception last week. The reception was an opportunity to hear first-hand from the young people who have benefited from the Diana Award Scheme and for parliamentarians to discuss the Mentoring Programme with the CEO of the Diana Award, Tessy Ojo.
The APPG is working in partnership with The Diana Award (A charity legacy to Princess Diana), which runs the UK’s largest funded mentoring programme. The Diana Award is founded on Princess Diana’s belief that young people have the power to change the world for the better. It is committed to fostering change through practical action with young people.
The Diana Award’s mentoring programme connects teams of volunteers from businesses and groups of schoolchildren to develop social action projects. The programme, supported by Prince Harry, found that 81% of young people felt more inspired to engage in their community. Additionally, 95% learnt valuable life skills to help build a brighter future. Since 1999 the Diana Award has supported over 700 hard to reach young people through the Mentoring Programme.
The APPG on Mentoring, of which Nus is Vice Chair, focuses on producing new research into the impact of mentoring in improving social mobility in the UK. Furthermore, it will aim to bring together organisations within the sector and connect them with businesses to expand mentoring opportunities.
In recognition of National Mentoring Day (27th October), Nus Ghani plans to take on a young mentee from Wealden. She will call on all MPs and Peers to join them in taking on a mentor.
Commenting on the mentoring and the Diana Award, Ms Ghani said: “I am excited to be working with a diverse group of parliamentarians to deliver the UK’s first APPG on Mentoring.
Quality mentoring can have an incredible impact in shaping a young person’s future and can radically raise their aspirations. By bringing together businesses and organisations within the sector, we can expand vital mentoring opportunities for some of the UK’s most disengaged and disadvantaged young people.
I am particularly looking forward to welcoming a young mentee from Wealden into my office and I hope my parliamentary colleagues from both sides of the house consider doing the same.”
