The ‘I have a voice’ initiative provides mentoring and networking opportunities to young people from under-represented backgrounds in the industry

Not-for-profit mentoring initiative ‘I have a voice’ launches this week, representing the efforts of those in public affairs to support 80 young people pursuing careers in the sector. The scheme is supported by Astellas Pharmaceuticals, National Grid, WA Communications, GK Strategy and the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR).

‘I have a voice’ is a nine-month programme, offering one-to-one support for young people of a background under-represented in the industry. Of the total 80 mentees, 51 are female, 33 identify as an ethnic minority, 27 are from low-income households, 17 identify as LGBTQ+ and seven have a disability.

CIPR CEO, Alastair McCapra, says: “We're incredibly proud to support ‘I have a voice’ and their incredible work to engage and educate young and under-represented people in our political processes, and to empower them to pursue a career in public affairs.

“Our democracy relies and thrives on these voices being heard and programmes like this are invaluable to help people understand the most effective ways to do that. I wish all the mentees the best of luck on the programme, and look forward to hearing and seeing how each of them fare in this journey."

Mentees will receive one-to-one mentoring from professionals across the sector, and will be able to attend workshops and talks from industry experts.

Michelle Hubert, group head of public affairs and policy at National Grid, says: “National Grid is delighted to be supporting ‘I have a voice’. We’re striving to build a business that represents, reflects and celebrates the cultures and communities we serve. As part of that, it’s vital that we have talent from all walks of life represented across our teams.”