Nicola Stead - Leading the way

Nicola Stead is a peer mentor for the Queen’s Young Leaders scheme, supporting future young talent to work in the media.

‘I am proud that my mentee is now getting paid work experience on TV’

I wanted to be part of this scheme with the Media Trust and BBC Outreach so I could help someone gain confidence, help bring out the skills they already have, and find out what skills they need more experience in to join the industry.

I know how hard it is to express what you can do and where you wish to work. What exactly are my skills? How could working in a shop help in a production job? Well, quite a bit actually!

There are so many jobs here at the BBC and in the industry as a whole, so it can be difficult to know where to start.

The QYL scheme has a wide range of people on it, from different backgrounds and different levels of experience.

It can be frustrating at times if your mentee cancels appointments or doesn’t show up. My mentee couldn’t meet me for the first couple of months due to personal issues and though at first I just wanted to get stuck in with working with her, I knew that the best thing to do was to keep contact through email and take it at her pace – as this is the scheme for her – not for me. I am here to help her.

There are things I am not too sure about myself within the industry. For example, my mentee wants to work in drama and although I have not worked in that department myself, we have looked at the skills needed and then ways in and contacts. You will be quite surprised with what you do know yourself.

It is all about being there for someone to talk to and for them to trust you. You are never on your own and there is a huge network of people who can help you as a mentor.

So if you don’t know an answer to a question, you can ask your QYL networks, who are always very happy to help.

The main thing I have found is to be able to help give confidence. You don’t have to be a producer or someone on a high grade to be a mentor. I am a researcher and using my skills, experience and background I am able to help someone in ways that at first you think you can’t.

I am proud that my mentee is now getting paid work experience on TV programmes and also has paid work as a production assistant on a film. It is about encouraging her to network and let her know she is doing the right thing. Again, building confidence within herself.

I am so proud of what my mentee has achieved already.

BBC Outreach & Corporate Responsibility brings the BBC closer to its audiences - particularly those audiences we have identified as harder to reach - with face-to-face activity, community support and staff volunteering.