Remote Career Mentor — Empower Students (Volunteer

Volunteer Mentor - Arden Careers & Employability (ACE) Mentoring Programme

Programme: Arden Careers & Employability (ACE) Mentoring

Department: Careers, Employability, Enterprise & Alumni

Employment Type: Voluntary (non-remunerated)

Location: Remote (online)

Term: 6 Months (renewable for future cohorts)

Time Commitment: Approx. 1-2 hours a month (minimum 4 x online meetings + ad-hoc support as required)

Arden University runs the 'ACE Mentoring Programme' to help close gaps in progression and improve graduate outcomes for students from priority groups. As part of our Access & Participation Plan, this initiative connects current students/recent graduates with industry professionals and/or Arden alumni for structured, online career mentoring.

As a volunteer mentor, you’ll share your industry expertise and professional insight to help students build confidence, develop employability skills, and progress into meaningful work or further study through clear, achievable career plans.

You’ll be matched with mentee(s) from priority groups, including:

• Students from ethnic minority backgrounds
• Students with disabilities (including mental health conditions)
• Students who are care experienced

Mentoring takes place online via our approved 3rd party mentoring platform, Mentorloop. You’ll receive training and support to help you get started and make the most of the experience.

The programme runs from Autumn 2026 to Spring 2027 over a period of 6 months. All mentoring conversations and meetings take place online meaning the schedule is flexible. We ask mentors to commit approximately 1-2 hours per month, including ad-hoc support between mentoring sessions. We recommend holding a meeting roughly every 4 weeks, but this may be more or less frequent, depending on your availability and how often your mentee wishes to meet.

We welcome professionals from all sectors and backgrounds who have at least 2 years professional experience in graduate or management level employment. You don’t need prior mentoring experience, just a genuine interest in supporting students and the ability to share practical career insight. Ideal mentors will be:

• Enthusiastic and committed to the idea of mentoring to support students from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Willing to help others develop and succeed by sharing real industry insights and personal experience.
• Strong communicators who can offer encouragement and constructive feedback
• Respectful, inclusive, open-minded and able to mentor without judgement, bias or discrimination.
• Relevant professional experience in any sector including self-employment, with the ability to share insights and networks.
• Able to manage mentoring around a busy schedule and communicate with mentee(s) reliably.

Mentoring is a powerful way to give back, but it’s also a rewarding experience for you as a professional. Whether you’re early in your career or a seasoned leader, mentoring offers the chance to reflect, grow, and make a real difference.

• Make a meaningful impact by supporting students from diverse backgrounds to grow in confidence, skills, and career clarity.
• Develop your leadership, coaching, and communication skills - mentoring is a credible form of volunteering that enhances your CV and demonstrates your commitment to people development.
• Gain fresh perspectives through reverse mentoring and insights from the next generation of talent.
• Access bespoke mentor training and ongoing support from the programme team.
• Enjoy flexible volunteering - just a few hours a month, fully online via Mentorloop and designed to fit around your schedule.
• Raise your organisation’s profile and support CSR goals.
• Identify emerging talent and build your future pipeline by engaging with motivated students.

We are an aspirational and multi-award-winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first-choice university for career-focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.

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