Photo courtesy of St Giles
Sharing skills, experience and knowledge with Berkeley Foundation charity partners is one of the ways Berkeley has a lasting impact for individuals and our local communities.
The professional mentoring programme at St Giles Trust, Community Partner charity of Berkeley Capital, is a great example of this. The programme exists as a platform to help staff and volunteers make thoughtful decisions and learn how to maximise their professional potential. With dedicated time to reflect and plan their professional trajectory, mentees can ensure their future is a priority.
Mentees at St Giles come from diverse stages of their careers, from those just starting out to others already in senior roles. Some of them will have lived experience of the issues St Giles works on, but not all. Mentees may aim to develop specific skills, while others seek broader career growth.
Whatever their goals, St Giles ensures that all mentors are equipped with the training and resources they need to make the most of their skills and have a lasting impact.
Through our partnership, St Giles welcomed a cohort of six mentors from across the Berkeley Group. After taking part in mentor training, individuals were connected with their mentees, based on their goals and areas of experience.
Having completed her first mentoring partnership, Eleonora Trikalioti, Projects Manager Customer Service at St George, reflects on participating in the programme:
“I’m very grateful to the Berkeley Foundation and St Giles for the opportunity to be part of the programme. It was great to be part of my mentee’s journey. It made me a better human being, let’s put it that way!”
For Eleonora, it began with understanding her mentee’s prior experience and future aspirations. Together they embarked on identifying goals and most importantly, the process they would go through to work towards these goals.
For Eleonora’s mentee, the ultimate aim was to secure a role that would be the start of a fulfilling and exciting new career. To work towards this, they collaboratively researched companies and identified potential job roles. They worked together on CV development, interview practice and body language. After receiving a number of job offers, Eleonora’s mentee had the confidence and support to ensure that the role she accepted was the best fit for her aspirations.
Skills sharing through mentoring has the potential to create powerful impact for individuals on both sides of the relationship. For mentors, it can be a unique opportunity to apply skills in a new context. Eleonora comments:
“One thing I realised was the power of active listening and empathy in a mentoring relationship. I found that by truly listening and understanding my mentees perspective, I was able to support them in a more meaningful way. This impacted my own personal growth too.”
Mandy, Corporate Partnerships Assistant at St Giles says:
“It’s been a pleasure speaking with Eleonora, whose tenacity, kindness and authenticity have truly shone through her mentoring relationship. Thanks to her guidance, her mentee was able to confidently step into the next stage of her career, and we are deeply grateful for the time and dedication of all mentors.”
For aspiring mentors, Eleonora suggests:
“Be yourself, listen to understand what they're trying to say. Listen to the meaning behind their words. Have the desire to really help someone.”
If you’re a Berkeley colleague and has been inspired by Eleonora’s story please email Gemma, Engagement Manager at Berkeley Foundation, to find out about current mentoring opportunities.
