Group mentoring programme

The programme provides students with the opportunity to be mentored as part of a group by a University of Birmingham alum who is a expert within their field. Our mentors share their experiences and advice to help students to refine their career plans and to reach their full potential. 

Your group will meet with your mentor three times over the course of the academic year, including a campus-based visit, a virtual meeting, and a visit to their place of work. A small scholarship payment is available to help cover travel costs for your work-place visit. You can read the terms and conditions of this here.

Are you curious about the benefits of careers mentoring, eager to build your confidence in group environments, and ready to grow through shared experiences and supportive employability discussions, this programme is for you!

• Have access to a sector leading graduate of UoB, with the opportunity to develop a relationship and receive supportive careers guidance.
• Encourages teamwork and improves communications skills.
• A less intimidating group-based format than one-on-one mentoring sessions.
• Learn through shared knowledge and hear a variety of perspectives.
• Grow your leadership skills and confidence in group settings through hearing from your mentor, and supporting your fellow mentees.
• Broaden your professional networks.
• Creates friendships and fosters a sense of community.
• Can be used as an activity to contribute towards the Birmingham Award

Our mentors are all University of Birmingham Alumni who have gone on to senior roles within their field. They are from a range of sectors and backgrounds, all kindly volunteering their time to support you with your career journey.

As part of the application process you will be asked to identify a preference of one of four available 'GMP' mentors that you would like to be matched with. Visit our ALMP/GMP Mentors webpage to view the profiles of the four mentors (all previous ALMP mentors) who will be involved in this trial programme.

This programme is open to:

• Birmingham Scholars.You’re considered a Birmingham Scholar - and therefore eligible for Group Mentoring - if you are in one of the following categories: 
  • Students in receipt of a Pathways to Birmingham - (P2B) which includes the programmes Access to Birmingham, Routes to the Professions, National Access Summer School
  • Students in receipt of a Realising Opportunities offer
  • Students in receipt of a Sanctuary Scholarship
  • Care experienced or Care Leavers
  • Black IMDQ1 (non P2B)
• And/or students who have a home address in an IMD Quintile 1 (indices of multiple deprivation, IMD Deciles 1 and 2, lowest 20%) neighbourhood*

*If your home address is in Northern Ireland you will need to contact us with your home postcode so that we can check your eligibility to apply. You can use this post-code checker above to see whether you are eligible to apply. 

If you are unsure if you are eligible for this programme based on the criteria above, please get in contact at mentoring@contacts.bham.ac.uk

If you're still figuring out your career path at this point, that's fine. Our mentors come from many different industries, and joining group mentoring can still be really beneficial.

You might also wish to consider applying to our Careers Network Mentoring Programme where we have hundreds of mentors from a range of sectors and job roles who can support you with your next steps.  

1. You will need to complete our GMP application form.
   
2. If successful, you will be invited to our mentee induction session as part of your group, and notified of the mentor you have been matched with.
3. The mentorship will then take place from November to June time.

Please contact our Mentoring Team via mentoring@contacts.bham.ac.uk