WiJ also announces it is to offer a prize for the second year running in honour of co-founder Georgina Henry, to be announced at the National Press awards

Women in Journalism has launched its first mentoring scheme to provide support for selected members moving into senior positions in the industry.

The inaugural scheme, launched in central London on Tuesday, is to pair 10 applicants with members of the WiJ committee including co-founder Eve Pollard and current committee chair Eleanor Mills.

Mentees, who had to explain in around 200 words how they would benefit from the 12-month scheme, include women who have taken their first steps into management in broadcast, print or online journalism.

Cristina Nicolotti Squires, editor of 5 News and chair of the WiJ mentoring programme, said: “Madeleine Albright famously said, ‘There’s a special place in hell for a woman that doesn’t help another woman.’ I have been lucky enough in my own career to be encouraged and inspired by the women around me. So I am so delighted to give a helping hand to the next generation of leaders.”



Other mentors include New Statesman deputy editor Helen Lewis, Independent on Sunday editor Lisa Markwell, FT magazine editor Sue Matthias and Sunday Mirror editor Alison Phillips.

The scheme comes after several studies suggested both that women are less likely to be involved in corporate mentoring schemes and yet gain as much – if not more – from them.

For the second year running, WiJ is also to offer a prize in honour of co-founder and former Guardian deputy editor Georgina Henry. Applicants for the award, to be announced at the National Press awards in March, are welcome from women at all stages of their career with a specific project they want to pursue.

Last year’s winner, Laura Bates, won for her journalism on the Everyday Sexism website and for her plans to expand the site, but judges will also consider applications from students who may want to use the money for work experience as they develop their project.

In a statement Bates said: “While we still live in a society where women are outnumbered in newsrooms and write only one fifth of front page headlines, the work of Women In Journalism in exposing media inequality and supporting female talent is invaluable. I’m so grateful to them for the opportunity to develop my work further.”

Jane Martinson is a mentor on the Women in Journalism scheme

