On the 19th of September 2024, six senior cycle students from Presentation Secondary School travelled to Dublin to attend the launch of the mentorship programme and meet their mentors. The nine-month programme involves monthly online meetings with mentors and tailored workshops aimed to increasing confidence, building resilience, and allowing students to get vital guidance from mentors who have successful careers in their area of interest. Below is an article from a 6th year student, Katie Joubert, a participant in the programme.
Since I started my secondary school journey in the Presentation back in 2019, I have had the amazing opportunity of working with The Shona Project. From attending workshops to going to the Shine Festival, I can say both my Shona Project and secondary school journey go hand in hand. This is why I am so beyond grateful to be able to be a part of their first ever Mentorship Programme.
Our school (Presentation Secondary School Waterford) was selected amongst a few other schools in Ireland to be a part of The Shona Project’s first ever Mentorship Programme. A teacher in our school (Ms. O’Sullivan), who is on the board of The Shona Project and works closely with the Shona Project, told both 5th and 6th years about this amazing opportunity. I immediately put myself forward and haven’t regretted it since.
The Shona Project Mentorship programme is intended for young girls in the senior cycle to provide them with advice and support in all areas of their lives, such as school, career paths, and mental health. This programme includes monthly online meetings with our mentors, where we focus on specific goals and how we can reach them.
What I found interesting at the pilot event of the programme in Dublin was the ‘why?’ to this programme. ‘Why is the Shona Project launching this programme?’. A lot of us have dreams for our futures and future careers, but what can pull us back from reaching those goals is something called a dream gap. The Shona Project explained that a lot of us have dream gaps, which means we allow a lack of confidence or belief in ourselves to stop us from reaching our full potential. That’s why The Shona Project believes in having a mentor. Mentors help their mentees overcome this lack of self-esteem. Having a positive role model in our lives is so important and helps us realise our potential.
Being a young woman, as well as a student, has its own difficulties. In senior cycle, we have to make some challenging decisions about our future, which can be very overwhelming. This is why having someone to look up to, someone to aspire to, and someone to guide you is so important, which is what this mentorship programme is all about. I feel this programme is going to be very beneficial and motivating for myself and all the other girls involved this year and in years to come.
At the pilot event, we got to meet our mentors and have a one-on-one conversation with them, where we got to know one another. Let me tell you, I got the perfect match. My mentor works in an area similar to what I would like to do, which is a great opportunity for me to ask questions about the career and gain more insight into the day-to-day life of the job. One thing that really stood out to me was her determination and passion for her job. From just one conversation, I could tell she is a very hard worker and loves what she does.
Not only my mentor, but all the women at the event, from other mentors, Shona Staff, our guest speaker, Donna Reilly, to the RTÉ interviewer, Florence Okojie, were influential, inspiring, powerful, and strong women. It was so overwhelmingly amazing to be in a room with all these women, and I hope one day to be even half of the woman they are!
⦁ Katie Joubert
