David Blunkett backs National Mentoring Consortium scheme

By Simon Hayes on May 8, 2008 9:00 AM |

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FORMER Home Secretary David Blunkett was handing out awards in Canary Wharf this week, and was full of praise for those who overcome adversity to succeed in business.

Mr Blunkett and Attorney General Baroness Scotland were the keynote speakers at the National Mentoring Consortium awards at Lehman Brothers headquarters in Bank Street on Tuesday.

The scheme, set up 14 years ago, has successfully developed links between universities, including the University of East London, and employers such as Lehman Brothers and Barclays, giving disabled students or those from ethnic minorities the opportunity to gain valuable advice and experience from business people in a work environment.

Mr Blunkett spoke exclusively to The Wharf about why he supports the scheme.

“It’s really nice to be able to acclaim and recognise people who have gone the extra mile,” he said. “The mentors give their time, commitment and dedication. The mentees get an enormous amount out of it but give something back as well. It’s a two-way process.

“The confidence building and development of self-esteem, can be life-changing, giving a foothold on that ladder at just the right moment.”

Mentoring is voluntary, with the minimum time requirement just 12 hours over six months, and Mr Blunkett believes more businesses need to get involved.

He said: “There’s much more scope for businesses, universities and government. Government departments are involved very positively by providing the release, but need to be more generally involved. We went through a period in 2000 and 2001 when we were giving moral support and resources to mentoring and we need to return to that because it’s demonstratably a good idea.

“It’s good for students at university. It’s good in terms of getting people into jobs and mentoring them in the early period of their employment.”

And Mr Blunkett recommended a return to some more traditional ideas. “Old-fashioned apprenticeships used to be like mentors,” he said. “We’ve lost a lot of that and we need to restore it. One way is through the National Mentoring Consortium.”

Despite being blind from birth Mr Blunkett climbed the political ladder to become a cabinet minister, although he does not think of himself as a particular role model.

He said: “All I know is if by demonstrating you can do it, it changes the view of employers, or the attitudes of youngsters who are in despair, or the attitudes of an educational institution, then that’s a good thing.
“It’s the changing of attitude that I believe is a success.”

Before he left Canary Wharf Mr Blunkett, who remained tight-lipped on the Labour government's recent problems, had a word of advice for new London Mayor, Boris Johnson.

He said: "The best thing I can say to Boris is, don't believe your own propaganda."

For more information on getting involved in mentoring schemes with the National Mentoring Consortium visit www.nmc-online.com