A chartered financial planner at Cheshire firm Clarion Wealth Planning has begun a mentoring role as a ‘Big Sister’ to a teenage girl in a programme run by the award-winning social enterprise Girls Out Loud.
After undergoing training earlier in the summer, Ella Davies has teamed up with a Year Eight pupil for the year-long programme to help boost the youngster’s self-confidence and aspirations in a series of one-to-one sessions.
The programme was launched at the Co-op Academy Manchester, where Ella was introduced to her ‘Little Sister’.
Ella said: “I’m proud, excited and thrilled to be involved in the programme and to act as a role model to my ‘Little Sister’. It’s a privilege, and I am looking forward very much to spending time with her.
“She wants to be part of the programme to have someone to talk to, to be there just for her and someone to trust.
“It’s a big responsibility, but it is a great way of giving back and hopefully making a positive difference.
“She is super active and very bright but feels frustrated in school. She hopes to be a forensic scientist, so we spoke about how she can harness her energy and learn to enjoy her lessons, which will help her to meet her career aspirations.”
Ella added: “At Clarion we are committed to changing lives for the better through supporting our local communities and good causes in a variety of different ways, and this is another illustration of that commitment.”
Girls Out Loud, founded by Jane Kenyon, is dedicated to helping teenage girls to achieve their goals by boosting their confidence, emotional resilience, self-assurance and self-esteem.
The Big Sister programme sees role models from diverse backgrounds mentoring girls to embed a more empowering mindset in them.
Jane said: “Our teen girls are navigating a challenging landscape today and having someone to listen and talk to and can help them with a myriad of decisions and options they face on a daily basis.
“Our Big Sisters are smart female role models committed to being that guide. They create a very special relationship with no judgement or agenda, and become a young girl’s champion, encouraging and guiding her to find her voice, her self-belief, her gumption and her aspiration.
“Interestingly, after over a decade of leading this programme, I also see many of our Big Sisters go on the same journey of discovery, as the process of mentoring a teen girl is a self-reflective one and creates learning and development opportunities for both mentor and mentee.”
Clarion, which is based in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, provides lifelong financial planning to business owners and families across the north west and beyond.
