LINKnet Mentoring is an award- winning, ethnic minority charity in Scotland.
We are the first direct mentoring organisation in Edinburgh and the Lothians.
Scotland's 2022 census reports that since 2011, the country's black, minority and ethnic population has increased by 84%. Our main focus is to provide programmes to support inclusion, equality and diversity in Scotland's booming minorities population. We achieve this by working to empower our clients, including refugees and asylum seekers, into further and higher education, employment and civic life.
Over the years, we have supported thousands
who have taken part in our programmes and
our team enjoys empowering these communities
to feel valued and at home here in Scotland.
Join us on this journey!
To provide one-to-one mentoring support for minority ethnic individuals, including refugees and asylum seekers, to help them achieve their goals in employment, education, and personal development.
Mentoring focuses on:
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Academic development
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Career progression
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Personal growth
Through individual progress, we aim to create a wider positive impact for minority ethnic communities and improve their representation across society.
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Reduce inequality and disadvantage experienced by minority ethnic communities
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Improve access to and outcomes from public services by working in partnership with the public sector
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Foster integration, dialogue, and mutual understanding between communities
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Build the awareness and capacity of both majority and minority communities to challenge racism and other barriers to equality
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Promote cultural diversity and recognise community contributions through mentor training, mentee induction, information sharing, and public events
1997: An idea becomes ambition
At the 1997 cross-sector national conference, ‘Active Partnerships: The Multiple Benefits of Black and Minority Ethnic Mentoring’, an idea was born to develop an organisation that could assist minority ethnic communities in Scotland with their confidence and ability to negotiate the UK job market. Guidance from experienced mentors was recognised as a powerful way to create opportunities and help overcome barriers such as discrimination, lack of access, and limited networks. From this seed of an idea, a steering group dedicated three years to making it a reality.
2000: LINKnet Mentoring is launched
By 2000, LINKnet Mentoring Limited had secured the first of its three-year grants of £261,000 from the Community Fund (now the Big Lottery Fund). This funding enabled the organisation to begin operations on 1st November 2000, employing two full-time and one part-time staff members at its new, central office at 31 Guthrie Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JG.
2020 onwards: increasing our support of minority groups
From its beginnings as a mentoring organisation, LINKnet has expanded to offer basic English language courses, and more recently, focused English for Employability classes. We have also started a successful befriending programme, to address loneliness and isolation in the ethnic minority community.
A thank you to our Founding Director
This ongoing commitment to supporting minority ethnic groups in the UK would not have been possible without the vision and drive of our recently retired Founding Director, Dissa, who was in attendance at that first Conference way back in 1997. We offer him our thanks for his 25 years+ of service.
Read more about Dissa’s life below
