Why I Became A Mentor

Susie Whittaker, Senior Designer & Captain of Interns and Education

At Echo we have always had a strong desire to nurture and inspire young creatives through our internship and education programmes. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Leo Young, both in his role as a designer and as Founder of Good Nugget, supporting them with Art against Knives, a programme that aimed to prevent youth violence through creativity. It was an incredible experience that our whole studio was involved in, igniting our collective desire to support young people in developing creative careers.?

When Leo shared with me the shocking statistic that only 23% of the industry identifies as female, I felt let down and determined to make a difference. I’m lucky to be part of an agency?that has worked hard to challenge this statistic with over 50% of my colleagues identifying as female. Determined to utilise my positive experiences to help others?I jumped at the chance in actively supporting Good Nugget once more on its mission?to champion emerging talent in design.??

Reflecting back to the start of my career, that early influence and support was crucial in shaping my personal journey, helping me gain valuable knowledge, build resilience, and generate desire and meaningful aspiration. Such experiences provide the essential DNA every designer will need for success in what can be a highly competitive and demanding environment.?

The mentoring process is often as beneficial for the mentor as it is the mentee. Part of the thrill of working with young creatives is that constant access to fresh perspectives and thinking, often raw and embryonic, but never less than insightful or exciting. The process of meeting people with divergent passions and differing life experiences can often create rich learning opportunities for both parties.

When I talk with young designers about the reality of the design industry compared to their initial externalised perceptions the recurring theme is one of surprise at the level of importance placed on togetherness, teamwork and mutual support within effective businesses. It is often quite an emotional shift from doing everything yourself to willingly accepting help, support and guidance from the team around you. This approach to team dynamics and nurturing is mirrored in the work that Good Nugget undertake within its mentoring programme. We as mentors want to help others succeed, feel empowered and be part of a vibrant and progressive network that will fuel the design industry for years to come.?

Good Nugget is on a mission to break down the barriers to increase diversity in the creative industry, unlocking untapped potential to boost creativity and productivity.

Their training programmes connect educators, employees, and employers to remove the additional barriers that keep disadvantaged candidates from accessing a creative career. At the same time, empowering the industry to be more open to diverse talent and equitable hiring practices.

Kickstart is a 12-week programme designed to inspire and equip young adults aged 18-25 from disadvantaged backgrounds. This initiative involves direct collaboration with creative companies and professionals, offering workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities, and real-life work experience. The goal is to boost their confidence and skills needed for employment. Industry participants benefit by gaining a fresh perspective, increased exposure to diverse talent, and improved leadership skills, ultimately boosting job satisfaction.

Leo Young, Good Nugget's Founder comments, "I have witnessed first-hand throughout my 15 years in the creative industry the lack of diverse representation and unconscious bias that contributes to that lack of diversity. Unfortunately, not all opportunities are created equal, yet talent comes in many ways.

I want to give young people the power to believe in themselves, irrespective of where they come from, they should have an equal opportunity at a creative career. Our initiatives are designed to build confidence, awareness and employability skills employers look for. I want to connect the creative industries with the next generation of talent whilst inspiring them to create more equitable hiring processes.”