It’s National Mentoring Day and we’re taking the opportunity to shout about why we believe in mentoring as a sustainable tool for securing unlimited futures for girls. Our mentors play a big role in making this goal become a reality so we asked them why mentoring matters to them.

Across the country, from Merseyside and Portsmouth to London and Manchester (and beyond) our mentors are mentoring girls aged 14-19 to support them in their school or college life, in their communities and with their ambitions.

Interested in becoming a mentor yourself? Take a look here.

Here, our Mentor Clare in Tyne and Wear, talks more about what mentoring means to her.

What made you decide to become a mentor?

I've been lucky to have had some excellent mentors during my years which has been invaluable for shaping the path I'm currently on. However, I only wish I'd had those mentors with me during secondary school years; where I held all of the creativity but lacked confidence to thrive – a little direction from a mentor back then would have made me fierce at a younger age, which is the confidence every young woman deserves to have.

What does mentoring mean to you?

Supporting someone to help unpick their talents, skills, curiosities and inspire them to carve out whichever path (or many paths) that excites them.

Can you tell us about the impact mentoring has? Both on yourself and your mentee?

So many positives than before I started, it's provided much growth for myself, personally. As well as enriching mentees future trajectory – which is a win win!

If someone wanted to become a mentor but wasn't sure how to, what advice would you give?

My advice would be to become a mentee yourself with those you look up to. Don't just get one – try a couple. See what works and what doesn't and try to instil the positives into your practice and mentorship. There's so much you can learn from other mentors that are out there.