Structured Mentoring
Mentoring Programmes That Create Lasting Change
Paired with experienced senior professionals from your sector, our structured mentoring programmes provide the guidance, challenge, and support you need to grow.
What is Mentoring?
The Power of Structured Mentoring
Unlike coaching, which focuses on unlocking your own capabilities, mentoring brings the lived experience of a senior professional directly to bear on your challenges. Our mentors have navigated the very situations you face — and can offer perspective, connections, and practical wisdom that no textbook can replicate.
Ascent's mentoring programmes are carefully structured to ensure every pairing is purposeful, every meeting is productive, and every programme delivers measurable professional development.
All our mentors are EMCC-accredited, sector-experienced, and trained in Ascent's mentoring methodology. Every mentoring relationship is supported by our programme team from matching through to completion.
Apply for a MentorOur Programmes
Choose Your Programme
Three distinct mentoring pathways, each designed to match a different stage of professional development.
Standard Mentoring
Ideal for early-to-mid career professionals seeking structured support to navigate their next career step, build confidence, or develop a specific set of professional skills.
- 8 structured mentoring meetings
- Initial matching meeting with programme team
- Goal-setting and mid-point review
- Online mentoring resources portal
- Mentee peer network access
Senior Mentoring
A comprehensive mentoring experience for senior professionals and aspiring executives working on complex leadership challenges, board-level preparation, or major career transitions.
- 16 structured mentoring meetings
- Bespoke mentor matching process
- Quarterly progress reviews
- Senior leader peer forum access
- End-of-programme development report
- Optional executive coaching add-on
Peer Mentoring Circles
Small cohorts of 6–8 professionals at similar career stages, meeting monthly to share challenges, insights, and mutual accountability. Facilitated by an Ascent senior coach.
- Monthly facilitated group sessions
- Peer accountability partnerships
- Action-learning methodology
- Cross-sector networking
- Facilitated by ICF-accredited coach
The Process
How the Matching Process Works
We take the matching process seriously. The right mentor-mentee pairing is foundational to a successful programme.
Application
Complete our online application form covering your goals, background, and mentoring preferences.
Matching
Our programme team reviews applications and proposes up to three potential mentor matches for your consideration.
Chemistry Meeting
A 45-minute exploratory call with your matched mentor to confirm the pairing before the programme formally begins.
Programme Launch
Your programme begins with a structured goal-setting session and meeting cadence agreed by both parties.
Meeting Cadence
Structured Yet Flexible
While our programmes are carefully structured, we also recognise the value of informal mentoring conversations. Many of our most impactful moments happen over a coffee, a walk, or a phone call.
Standard meetings are 60–90 minutes and typically take place monthly. Many mentoring pairs meet more frequently during intensive phases of their programme. All meetings — formal and informal — are logged in our mentoring portal for programme tracking.
Meetings can take place in person, by video call, by phone, or a blend — whatever works best for your mentoring pair. Our programme team is available throughout to offer support if needed.
Apply to the ProgrammeExample Mentors
Meet Some of Our Mentors
Our mentor community includes senior leaders, entrepreneurs, and functional experts from across the UK's leading organisations.
David Kavanagh
Sophie Llewellyn
Richard Osei
The Value of Mentoring
Benefits for Mentees & Organisations
Our mentoring programmes deliver measurable returns for both individual participants and the organisations that invest in them.
For Mentees
- Accelerated career progression with experienced guidance
- Greater self-awareness and clarity of professional purpose
- Expanded professional network through mentor connections
- Improved confidence in navigating workplace challenges
- Access to real-world wisdom and sector intelligence
- Accountability and momentum towards your goals
For Organisations
- Improved talent retention through visible investment in people
- Accelerated development of high-potential employees
- Strengthened internal knowledge transfer and culture
- Measurable improvements in employee engagement scores
- Stronger pipeline for senior and leadership roles
- Enhanced employer brand and DEI outcomes