Leo UK has launched a new free mentoring scheme for working parents in the creative industry.

The new ‘Parental Guidance’ scheme is encouraging all agencies across the UK to get their working parents involved in the mentoring scheme. 

The team aims to recruit a diverse mix of parents to be mentors. From parents of tots, those of school age, neurodiverse children, adopted children and teenagers. To parents who may be running blended families or from a same sex couple.

The industry-wide initiative is being supported by creative leaders from agencies including Adam&EveDDB, Dentsu Creative, Neverland, Lucky Generals and Iris.

The scheme is being supported by Sophie Maunder, the Founder and CEO of Matri Coaching, a maternity coaching programme designed to support working mothers through their maternity journey and return-to-work transition with confidence and clarity. Maunder, who spent 22 years in leadership positions at VCCP, understands the unique and at times unpredictable demands facing working parents from the creative industries. 

Maunder will be ensuring all mentors and mentees are given the best start to their mentoring journey and know how to get the most from it, with a live virtual launch session. 

Charlotte Coughlan, Managing Partner at Leo UK, explains: “We all know how tough it is to be a working parent and our industry can be more intense than most. Parental Guidance offers those earlier on in their juggling journey some much needed support in being able to parent and progress, from more experienced working parents in advertising.” 

Couglan believes that you should not have to stop or see your career slow down just because you have had children.

The programme is being backed by a range of mentors including Carly Avener, Chief Executive of Leo UK, Miranda Hipwell, Chief Executive of Adam&EveDDB, Jessica Tamsedge, UK CEO of Dentsu Creative, Josh Harris, Chief Executive Officer of Neverland, Cressida Holmes-Smith, CEO of Lucky Generals, Claudia Wallace, Chief Client Officer at Neverland and Zoe Eagle, CEO of Iris London.  

The programme is designed to bring ‘real talk from the parents who have been there’ to the next generation of parents in advertising. The scheme will match mentors with mentees who will commit to 1 hour of mentoring for a six-month period. 

NABS will help bring a deeper level of support for mentors and mentees, being a resource for advice and help provide relevant content on an ongoing basis. The scheme is also being endorsed and supported by the IPA.