Discussions on building a climate-just future from our past knowledges with Tunisian climate activist Islam Zrelli
shado’s
mentorship programme
shado’s mentorship programme provides first-time writers with in-depth support from pitch to publication with their first piece of published writing, on the topic of their choice.
Our mentees identify from communities which are typically gate-kept from creative spaces or not provided with the tools or confidence to use the medium of creative writing as an outlet. A key part of the programme is showing our mentees that they have the innate ability to use writing as a form of creative communication and storytelling around issues that are important to them.
The programme aims to equip writers with the tools needed to begin their career, including resource provision and up-skilling opportunities on how/where to pitch as well as tailored mentoring on how to develop their unique voice and creative non-fiction abilities.
During the programme, mentees have the opportunity to
▹ Meet the team of editors
▹ Workshop an original pitch
▹ Work with a specific mentor from shado’s global network, whose experience is specifically aligned with their content needs, to create an outline for their piece
▹ Write a first draft Work with editors on draft feedback
▹ Refine the structure and content of their piece
▹ Choose an artist from shado’s network to create imagery to go alongside their piece
▹ Have their piece published on the shado website
Jeevan Sangha co-curates and directs shado's mentorship programme alongside shado's co-founders Hannah Robathan and Isabella Pearce, and senior editor Erin Cobby.
Previous mentors include
shado’s
mentorship programme
shado’s mentorship programme provides first-time writers with in-depth support from pitch to publication with their first piece of published writing, on the topic of their choice.
Our mentees identify from communities which are typically gate-kept from creative spaces or not provided with the tools or confidence to use the medium of creative writing as an outlet. A key part of the programme is showing our mentees that they have the innate ability to use writing as a form of creative communication and storytelling around issues that are important to them.
The programme aims to equip writers with the tools needed to begin their career, including resource provision and up-skilling opportunities on how/where to pitch as well as tailored mentoring on how to develop their unique voice and creative non-fiction abilities.
Gather valuable experience
During the programme, you have the opportunity to:
▹ Meet the team of editors
▹ Workshop an original pitch
▹ Work with a specific mentor from shado’s global network, whose experience is specifically aligned with their content needs, to create an outline for their piece
▹ Write a first draft Work with editors on draft feedback
▹ Refine the structure and content of their piece
▹ Choose an artist from shado’s network to create imagery to go alongside their piece
▹ Have their piece published on the shado website
Jeevan Sangha is shado's senior editor and co-curates and directs shado's mentorship programme alongside shado's co-founders Hannah Robathan and Isabella Pearce
Previous mentors include
Mentee articles
Testimonials
“This was a very helpful programme and I've learned so much about writing and journalism and also lots about myself! I feel very inspired and grateful!”
To have Shado’s founders, Isabella and Hannah, as my mentors has given me valuable insight into Shado’s mission and the power of these kinds of platforms and the writing they can produce and showcase. The mission of Shado to combine insight and expertise with political and social action is one that I personally have found inspiring in my own writing. Moreover, the international reach of Shado’s staff and network meant that I was able to also have Jeevan, their Senior Copy Editor based in Canada, assigned as a mentor. Along with the valuable feedback on planning, writing style, structure and interviewing technique that all the mentors have been so generous and insightful with, having Jeevan as a mentor, with her experience writing on the Sikh/South Asian diaspora (the broad subject of my article) made me feel able to discuss the nuances and complexities of the topic in really gratifying and productive ways, and added to my confidence to write what I know.
Having struggled to find my feet with the first draft of my article, which combined material from an interview with writing on my own experiences, the editing feedback both written and in meetings provided useful and much appreciated guidance on how to structure my article, ideas for further avenues of discussion and encouragement to showcase my own thoughts and voice more than I have before. I have also really enjoyed the process of collaborating with an artist on an illustration for the piece. Being able to choose the artist and the style of art from Shado’s extensive network, and then share my ideas and feedback on the content of the illustration, has been an entirely new and much valued aspect of the programme.
Throughout the process, I have really benefited from the flexibility of my mentors as well as their expertise, the ability to organise edit meetings and deadlines to suit my changing schedule, and the ability to get in touch with my mentors at any point that I have needed them. All of this has led me to where I currently stand in the programme, with my article nearly ready for publication, with an illustration that I love, and with greater confidence to pursue freelance writing on topics that I feel passionate about in the future."
“My experience on the Shado mentorship programme has been incredibly rewarding. As someone who wanted to pitch and write to Shado and other similar platforms and publications, having the mentoring programme to help me begin to engage with this process and build my confidence.
shado's starter pack for early career journalists
