At TWMAD, our first mentoring programme, Ignite Your Future, marked the beginning of our journey to inspire the next generation.
Launched in late 2017, we delivered this programme intensively into several schools in partnership with both Staffordshire & Keele Universities Higher Horizons+ departments.
The mission was simple: to connect children with their strengths, create a space to focus on their futures, and help them identify a career path that would enable them to live each day in FLOW—doing what they love and thriving.
Recently, I had a chance encounter that reminded me of why we do what we do. A young lady, who had participated in Ignite Your Future back in 2019, recognised me whilst working as a waitress. She came over to check if it was me and said how much she had enjoyed the programme.
Shortly afterwards, she returned to say something that stuck with me:
“Thank you for the help you gave me when I was at school. I always remember the session about careers and entrepreneurship—it motivated me to set up my own antique business, which I now run alongside my part-time job as a waitress. I felt like our group of students never really got the attention we needed, but Ignite Your Future changed that. I’m so grateful for the support you gave us.”
It goes without saying that hearing those words provided me with a huge smile and feeling of pride.
At TWMAD, we often remind the young people we work with that our role is to plant seeds of thought—ideas and insights that may not take root immediately but will blossom in the future when the time is right. This conversation was a powerful reminder of that philosophy in action.
Her story highlights the true value of mentoring. It’s not just about immediate results but about creating a foundation for future growth. Knowing that Ignite Your Future had such a lasting impact on this young lady—and many others like her—reinforces why we remain so committed to our mission.
Moments like these validate everything we strive to achieve at TWMAD. They remind us of the outstanding potential within every young person and the importance of offering them the tools and guidance to unlock it.
If you’d like to learn more about Ignite Your Future or explore how TWMAD can support young people in your community, please get in touch at info@twmad.co.uk. Together, we can continue planting seeds for a brighter future.