Shesaid.so - the global networking platform that champions gender equality in the music industry - has announced an expansion of its she.grows mentoring programme, with a new virtual mentoring scheme in France and Italy supported by YouTube Music.
Announcing the new scheme, shesaid.so founder Andreea Magdalina said yesterday: "Mentorship not only plays a key role in making or breaking careers in the music industry, it also cultivates a culture of collaboration, thus providing an excellent opportunity for us to further our mission. Staying connected with leading industry professionals and having access to their insights is more important than ever, particularly in this new climate".
With that in mind, she added, "I am profoundly grateful to YouTube Music for enabling us to provide opportunities for women and other gender minorities at a time when they are at higher risk to be negatively impacted by COVID-19".
The latest mentoring scheme will see twelve mentees recruited in both France and Italy, who will be matched with either local or international mentors, depending on each mentee's preference. As well as regular one-to-one virtual meetings between each mentee and mentor, there will also be monthly events for all 48 participants.
Explaining the focus on France and Italy, Magdalina added: "The reason we are focusing on France and Italy at this time is because we have two thriving communities in each of these countries. Plus, our research showed a lack of initiatives that specifically focus on women in the music industry in these local markets which means we're also filling a gap that was not being addressed".
Confirming its support for the programme, YouTube's Head Of Music EMEA Dan Chalmers said: "Now more than ever, it's critical that we support the next generation of female talent and leadership so they can thrive in the music industry. Over the last year, YouTube Music's partnership with shesaid.so has deepened and become more focused, and we're encouraged by the many success stories we've seen from the programme. We believe this year's programme will be even more robust by adding France and Italy, two very important markets for the industry".