This month saw the return of our Generation STORM programme. Commonly known as G-Storm, the mentorship programme recruits young black women aged 16-25 living in London.
Over the course of the 25-week programme, participants will experience weekly wellbeing workshops, self-care sessions and influential one-to-one mentoring sessions with black female mentors. Although the self-care activities are important, supporting the young people in accessing mentorship opportunities is the primary aim of the programme.
Shedaine is our Women and Girls Program Manager and designed the programme after recognising that there wasn’t enough direct support for young black women in London communities.
Shedaine shared: “Identifying as a young black women and growing up in London I felt there wasn’t enough opportunities for me to access the support I felt I needed.”
Shedaine was originally a young person our Rugby-4-Change Programme after she was enrolled by her school. Since then, Shedaine has continued on to develop and perfect our women and girls programmes making them more inclusive for girls and young women across the UK.
Shedaine added: “Providing mentors for young black women creates a platform for them to receive the professional advice needed to find stable jobs, build support networks and find a place of support needed to overcome challenges that young black women face”.
The weekly sessions provide the young women with an opportunity not only to speak with a mentor, but to speak amongst other young women that relate to the same social issues or barriers.
One young person from the programme shared: “It is not fair that black women’s barriers are still a topic of discussion, it shows than not enough progress is being made”.
So far recruitment on the programme has seen a record number of attendee’s and recruitment for mentors is still underway.
If you know anyone women who would be interested in becoming a mentor for this programme please contact Shedaine today at shedainehenry@changefd.org.uk.
