Mentees and mentors celebrated at ORT Jump graduation ceremony

The key for young people to get ahead in their career is to find a mentor. This was the message which came out of the ORT Jump mentoring programme’s graduation ceremony on Tuesday evening.

“The support of mentors – in a mentee’s chosen field – will empower the next generation,” said Anna Black, one of the programme’s managers. She said that ORT Jump matched students with mentors from 90 different industries and that this diversity gave students “a jump start to future careers”.

ORT UK run their mentorship programme in 14 secondary schools across London. They have just added King David High School in Manchester to their list of schools they support. Half the schools which ORT offer this free service to are not Jewish, and some of them are based in London’s most deprived areas.

Hilary Tait, careers director at Le Sainte Union School, a Catholic school in Kentish Town, spoke of how helpful the charity was to her pupils. In terms of careers support at home, some of the students “often have no one for them”, she said, adding: “ORT UK is a great example to the world. We can spread that passion and intensity beyond London.”

Following an opportunity for some eating and schmoozing, the event’s keynote speaker Talia Lazarus was interviewed by former ORT Jump mentee and current ORT Jump mentor and author, Gabriella Jessup.

Lazarus, who suffered a catastrophic knee injury after colliding into a bus while riding a scooter several years ago, told the graduates: “(Although) I disappeared off the face of the Earth for nine months, I wouldn’t change my accident for the world. I was going in one direction before my accident; now I’m going somewhere better.”

Realising she was mentally resilient enough to get through rehab, Lazarus signed up to run a half-marathon. After completing it in two hours and four minutes, she said that resolving to keep going even when she wanted to rest had enabled her to achieve her goal. “If I had stopped once, I would have kept stopping.”

She used that same mindset in terms of careers advice, she said. She told the students that if they got offered anything, “you have to do it. Say yes to every opportunity!”

She finished by offering some thoughts on rejection. “We’re all going to get rejected in life – don't let it crumble you. I see rejection as a redirection.”

Some of the mentees who won awards (Photo: Liz Isles Photography)[Missing Credit]

The event celebrated every student, marking their completion of the programme. Student awards were given out to five students who had submitted the best creative pieces inspired by their time as mentees. For the first time ever, ORT instituted a school's award too, which was picked up by Yavneh College.

Itsy Cohen, 16, a year 12 student at Hasmonean talked to the JC about his “amazing experience” on the programme. “I learned a lot about (the banking industry). My mentor – Shlomo Amor – gave me an in-depth look at what sort of opportunities you can get.”

Rounding off the evening, ORT UK’s chair of trustees Annette Kurer proudly explained how “since 2009, (ORT had) provided mentoring to 3,700 students – free-of-charge.”

Appealing to parents to support the initiative, either by volunteering to be a mentor on a future programme or by supporting it through a financial donation, Kurer said: “At ORT UK, our programmes are designed to empower the next generation.”

But her final word of the night was a resounding message to the students: “Be prepared –  grab an opportunity.”

All photos: Liz Isles Photography