Network of Women In Events (NOWIE) has launched Level Up, a new mentoring programme aimed at supporting women in taking the next step in their event careers.

The programme will pair women with a mentor whose career has taken them to senior roles with relevant experience. Pairings will be tailored according to a mixture of factors, including area of work, specialisms and employment status.

With majority of activity being online, the scheme will last six months and will include networking opportunities for both mentors and mentees. NOWIE said it aims to create an alumni network for mentees.

NOWIE chair and Access All Areas 30under30 member Cat Kevern said, “We’ve been working on this behind the scenes for some months now and we’re hugely grateful in particular to Freya Gill-Stevens and Carolina Jalles who have pulled so much of it together.

“At NOWIE, we believe passionately in women supporting women and we have many members who have pushed boundaries and forged paths for the generations behind them. Level Up will allow us to make the most of the examples set by these exceptional women.”

The debut year for Level Up will be sponsored by Standon Calling festival (cap. 10,000) and production agency Organise Chaos.

Kevern said, “This generous sponsorship ensures not only that we have funds to facilitate the programme but also that we can support mentees with the cost of attending the in-person elements of the scheme, guaranteeing that financial circumstance is no barrier to participation.”

Organise Chaos director Clare Goodchild said, “It is great to watch NOWIE growing as a network, whilst now also creating tangible opportunities in the industry through schemes like Level Up. Schemes like Level Up can enact real change in careers.”

Mentors already signed up to Level Up include Megan Kieran, director of Live at Us Experiential, Laura Armstrong, independent senior event producer and Sarah Slater, vice president of Music and festivals at Ticketmaster.

Standon Calling event producer Sophie Evans said, “Standon Calling festival is what it is today thanks to the talent and dedication of an incredible array of women in our industry. To practically support women building their events careers is not only a huge honour to be a part of, but essential. We look forward to a wonderful inaugural year for the Level Up programme, as well as the prospect of an ever-growing network of skill, experience and unbridled potential in the years to come.”

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