This National Mentoring Day, on 27 October, we’re sharing how our team is learning from experienced mentors and supporting others. We encourage small businesses to invest in their people, which is why we’re proud to support our team members as both mentors and mentees, putting the principles we promote into practice.
Investing in people for lasting impact
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21 October 2026 |
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Learning from others: the ICRS Mentoring Programme
Heart of the City is part of the Institute of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (ICRS), giving our team access to its mentoring programme. . Through the programme, our Programme Managers, Giulia Trabacchin and Katie Rogers, were paired with experienced professionals working in the corporate responsibility and social value sectors.
For Giulia, being mentored by Jeremy Gould, Senior Corporate Growth Manager at Charities Aid Foundation, has provided an opportunity to discuss a wide range of topics spanning leadership, management, fundraising and partnership development.
”What was most helpful for me was having someone to go to with my questions who brings a different perspective from the people I usually work with. Jeremy has shared valuable resources and opportunities, and is such a kind and positive person that he can help untangle challenges in just a few words.
Giulia TrabacchinProgramme Manager at Heart of the City
Katie has been working with Janine Higgins, Senior Social Value Advisor at Laing O’Rourke, to deepen her understanding of social value and support her wider professional development.
”One of my biggest takeaways has been the importance of being focused about where your organisation can create the greatest social value impact, whether within a particular location or community, while thinking about how that work can leave a lasting legacy. Learning from Janine’s experience has been invaluable in shaping my understanding and giving me a fresh perspective on my own development.
Katie RogersProgramme Manager at Heart of the City
Both mentoring relationships will run for 12 months, giving them time to develop their knowledge, work towards their individual goals and put what they learn into practice.
Giulia will continue building her leadership skills and has signed up as a volunteer coach with The Access Project, supporting young people from under-resourced backgrounds to raise their aspirations, access top universities and achieve social mobility.
Katie’s upcoming conversations will focus on leadership and preparing for line management, business development and building confidence in external engagement.
Sharing experience and opening doors
Mentoring is not only about receiving support. It is also an opportunity to share skills and experience with others.
Our Head of Programmes, Olivia Beecham, is volunteering through the four-month Routes mentoring programme. The programme brings together women leaders with women from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds who are ready to take the next step towards their personal or professional goals.
Olivia has been matched with a woman whose ambition is to start her own business. Olivia will draw on her experience of working with small businesses to help her mentee take practical steps towards that goal.
As part of the programme, Olivia has also completed training on the asylum system, unconscious bias and active listening, learning she can apply to mentoring and her wider work.
Why mentoring matters
Could mentoring help someone in your team, or could you share your experience with someone starting out? National Mentoring Day is an opportunity to consider both. For responsible businesses, investing in people means creating opportunities for learning, encouraging different perspectives and helping individuals reach their potential.
This National Mentoring Day, we’re celebrating the mentors and mentees who make time to learn from each other, and reaffirming our commitment to creating meaningful development opportunities within our own team.
Looking for more ways to support your people? Our Responsible Business Essentials programme offers practical guidance, expert-led sessions and peer learning to help turn your ambitions into action.
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