Commissioned by Creative Partnerships, The Sage Gateshead is leading a new national co-mentoring programme for emerging leaders from schools, creative and cultural organisations and businesses.  REFLECT is bringing together 300 individuals from across these sectors in co-mentoring pairs with reflective practice at their heart.

The programme gives professionals space to reflect and share ideas as part of a co-mentoring relationship. There are endless possibilities but it is a clear structure from which to begin bold creative conversations.

"I think one of the really exciting possibilities afforded through co-mentoring is the opportunity for people to focus on their own personal motivations, how that impacts on their role within their organisation, and in turn how their organisation operates within its sector. Too often the focus is the other way round." Dave Camlin, REFLECT trainer

"It's an interesting opportunity as you are in an equal partnership with your co-mentor, learning and developing together rather than the conventional set up of being either a mentor or a mentee. I have been paired with a creative coordinator from a primary school and will be exploring how I can best support schools to develop creative learning. You are free to design your own learning agreement and will be supported to do this through a training day and a really useful info pack." Jenny Henrywood, South Shropshire District Council.

Who are our co-mentors?

Our creative practitioners lead key projects or significant areas of work with a focus on creativity or creative learning and include emerging leaders from organisations as well as free-lance creative practitioners running their own businesses.

Our teachers are committed to creative learning and lead elements of work which have the capacity to effect whole school change.        

What are our co-mentors doing?

Co-mentors attended a regional training day at the start of the programme. They meet at least five times over the year and attend two regional gatherings. Their co-mentoring relationship is centred around a self-identified focus based on their needs and those of their organisation. The aim of the programme is for co-mentors to engage in a learning conversation with clear and realistic outcomes related to their own work and that of their organisation. 

For further information please contact REFLECT@thesagegateshead.org