Soho Mentorship has launched at our House in Stockholm
Meet some of the mentors and mentees taking part in the city’s inaugural programme, which aims to give aspiring creatives a route into the industry
Tuesday 22 October 2024 By Chloe Lawrance
It’s no secret that the creative industries can be difficult to break into – particularly for those from lower socioeconomic, underrepresented and marginalised groups. People are at the heart of everything we do at Soho House, and we’re passionate about using our platform to help overcome some of the barriers for anyone looking to gain access to the sector. We’re passionate about working to open up doors for people of all backgrounds and provide real-life opportunities within the creative industries.
We created Soho Futures back in 2018 as part of our commitment to supporting the next generation of creatives to build connections, confidence and experience through social impact programmes such as Soho Fellowship and Soho Mentorship. To date, we’ve supported more than 2,500 young people through these creative access programmes.
We created Soho Futures back in 2018 as part of our commitment to supporting the next generation of creatives to build connections, confidence and experience through social impact programmes such as Soho Fellowship and Soho Mentorship. To date, we’ve supported more than 2,500 young people through these creative access programmes.
Soho Mentorship pairs established Soho House members with young, aspiring creatives from lower socioeconomic, underrepresented and marginalised groups to help them nurture their passion, strengthen their skills, and provide them with a route into their chosen creative field over a 16-week period. This year marks the sixth year of the mentorship programme, which we now run in 21 cities globally – including a newly launched programme in Stockholm, in partnership with Routes In. Routes In (@routes_in) is a non-profit foundation focused on diversifying the creative industry by connecting those who have made it with those who are on their way.
The programme arrived at our House in the Swedish capital on Wednesday 9 October with a launch event that saw the new mentors and mentees meet for the first time. The night included a number of activities designed to help the new pairings get to know one another. Dinner was served ‘family style’, which created a relaxed atmosphere for mentors and mentees to connect and establish a plan of action for the coming weeks.
The programme arrived at our House in the Swedish capital on Wednesday 9 October with a launch event that saw the new mentors and mentees meet for the first time. The night included a number of activities designed to help the new pairings get to know one another. Dinner was served ‘family style’, which created a relaxed atmosphere for mentors and mentees to connect and establish a plan of action for the coming weeks.
With the new launch, we caught up with some of the Soho House Stockholm members from the worlds of film, arts and music and communications, as well as their new mentees, to discover why they became a part of the Soho Mentorship programme.
‘Having someone believe in you and see your value is key. With my own journey into the music industry, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the mentors that opened doors along the way. When I came across the opportunity to give back through Soho Mentorship, I knew instantly I wanted to join. After two introductory events and a one-on-one meeting with my mentee, I feel like the team did a great job in matching us. On top of this, I instantly found new friends among the other mentors at the events – that’s just the icing on the cake.’
Najma Mohamed, board member of Stiftelsen Höj Rösten, a foundation supporting young people, and previously director of operations for Sweden’s Youth Council
‘I joined Soho Mentorship to share my experiences and support others in navigating their professional journeys, especially within the creative industries. It’s been incredibly rewarding to engage with emerging talent, exchange ideas, and foster mutual growth. The collaborative spirit of this programme is inspiring, and I look forward to continuing to learn alongside my mentee.’
Meet the mentors
Wilhelmina Bonde, A&R and artist manager‘Having someone believe in you and see your value is key. With my own journey into the music industry, I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for the mentors that opened doors along the way. When I came across the opportunity to give back through Soho Mentorship, I knew instantly I wanted to join. After two introductory events and a one-on-one meeting with my mentee, I feel like the team did a great job in matching us. On top of this, I instantly found new friends among the other mentors at the events – that’s just the icing on the cake.’
Najma Mohamed, board member of Stiftelsen Höj Rösten, a foundation supporting young people, and previously director of operations for Sweden’s Youth Council
‘I joined Soho Mentorship to share my experiences and support others in navigating their professional journeys, especially within the creative industries. It’s been incredibly rewarding to engage with emerging talent, exchange ideas, and foster mutual growth. The collaborative spirit of this programme is inspiring, and I look forward to continuing to learn alongside my mentee.’
Sonya Simmonds, head of distributed experience at Spotify
‘I love the process of generating ideas to help others grow, and mentoring gives me a chance to practise listening with intent – something I find grounding in the middle of a busy life. It’s also a fulfilling way to break free from the bureaucratic side of work and financial constraints, and connect with fresh perspectives.
‘What I love about this programme is the structure, the team, the professionalism, and the energy. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, share, and hopefully make a positive impact for my talented and ambitious mentee.’
Anna Sundström, Member Events Manager, Soho House Stockholm
‘I joined the mentorship programme, because I think it is a pleasure to give back to the next generation, especially coming from a privileged platform at Soho House. The energy we have received from the mentees who are eager to learn has been truly rewarding. I am excited to see what my mentee and I will accomplish over the coming weeks.’
‘I love the process of generating ideas to help others grow, and mentoring gives me a chance to practise listening with intent – something I find grounding in the middle of a busy life. It’s also a fulfilling way to break free from the bureaucratic side of work and financial constraints, and connect with fresh perspectives.
‘What I love about this programme is the structure, the team, the professionalism, and the energy. It’s a wonderful opportunity to connect, learn, share, and hopefully make a positive impact for my talented and ambitious mentee.’
Anna Sundström, Member Events Manager, Soho House Stockholm
‘I joined the mentorship programme, because I think it is a pleasure to give back to the next generation, especially coming from a privileged platform at Soho House. The energy we have received from the mentees who are eager to learn has been truly rewarding. I am excited to see what my mentee and I will accomplish over the coming weeks.’
Meet the mentees
Naeb Isak, media and communications student interested in digital marketing‘I decided to join the mentorship programme, because I’ve found it hard to navigate the marketing industry. I applied looking for not only a mentor, but also for a space filled with creative people – and I’ve found the experience to be more than I could imagine so far. The organisers have found kind, talented and inspiring mentors and mentees, and they’ve done an amazing job organising our first meet-ups. I immediately felt comfortable with everyone around me, and we have all been able to share a lot of knowledge and experience with each other already.’
Johanna Li, business and economics graduate interested in joining the music industry
‘I chose Soho Mentorship because I was looking for guidance in a career change as I tried to navigate the music industry. I think all the mentors have been a fantastic match, and both the mentors and the mentees have been super engaged with great energy. I’m really looking forward to the coming months.’
Farhia Shire Raage, interested in pursuing a career in design and media
‘I felt like this sounded like an exciting opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the industry, while networking with like-minded people. My experience has been great so far; I feel very motivated.’
Explore Soho House Stockholm and apply for membership