DPD UK, one of the UK’s leading parcel delivery companies, has today announced a landmark mentoring programme delivering 24,000 mentoring sessions in its first year to 16 to 25 year olds across the UK.
Up to 2,000 DPD UK colleagues will participate in the partnership, volunteering at least 30 minutes each per month for 12 months to virtually support young people with careers advice on everything from how to improve a CV, to preparing for an interview, and building confidence to face a difficult job market. Thousands of young people will benefit, and they can come back for a second or third session, so the support continues beyond a single conversation.
Commitments like the one by DPD UK are a critical part of addressing the crisis of 981,000 young people aged 16 to 24 (13.0%) classified as NEET (not in education, employment or training) in the UK, according to the latest ONS figures, with the youth unemployment rate for 16 to 24-year-olds standing at 15.8%.
The programme was developed and will be facilitated by mentorhero, a new global mentoring platform re-imagining where the world goes for advice. mentorhero was co-founded by Jackson Parsons who hosts the UK’s Leading Career Show ‘My Duvet Flip’, also aimed at supporting young people with careers advice content, with more than 1 million subscribers on YouTube.
mentorhero is a first of its kind platform that uses proprietary technology and bespoke design to match mentors and mentees and guide them through a productive and authentic mentoring conversation. All sessions run on mentorhero’s safeguarded platform, with safeguarding as a top priority.
Justin Pegg, CEO of DPD UK, has spent more than 36 years with the business. He grew up in Birmingham, left school at 15 and joined Parceline, the company that later became DPD, as soon as he turned 18. He became a manager at 22 and spent 25 years working night shifts in the company’s distribution centres before rising to lead DPD UK, which today has around 18,000 people and includes CitySprint and DPD Ireland. He describes developing people as his biggest career achievement.
Justin Pegg, CEO of DPD UK said: “At DPD UK, we have long believed that businesses have a responsibility to invest in the next generation. I have already completed three mentoring sessions with mentorhero myself and plan to keep going, and I am so pleased my team will help young people reach their potential. We are proud to commit to 24,000 mentoring sessions over the next 12 months through this partnership, and we look forward to the impact we will have together.”
Jackson Parsons, CEO of mentorhero: “Many young people don’t have the privilege of someone telling them how work works – and the job market is incredibly tough right now. Our goal with mentorhero is to give young people access and give professionals a way to give back – all with the goal of making the UK a powerhouse for youth employment. DPD UK’s commitment to mentoring is inspiring and this country needs more leaders like Justin prioritising giving back.”
Olly Craughan, another mentor at DPD UK who has completed two mentoring sessions, commented: “The platform made it really easy, and the conversations are honestly very rewarding. I’m already looking forward to my next mentoring session and am glad I have the chance to do this at DPD UK.”
Hira Hussain, a mentee mentored by DPD UK CEO Justin Pegg, shared: “Before my mentoring session, I was totally lost on what a good CV looked like, but Justin took the time to review my experience and make really helpful suggestions. Now I don’t feel like another name in a stack, but like I have something special and unique to offer. mentorhero pairs you up with a mentor who has experience in the field you want to look into. It genuinely helps anyone who wants to progress their career and get the right advice from the right people.”
The announcement made on National Mentoring Day marks the beginning of what both organisations describe as a sustained, structured commitment to youth development in the UK. The mentoring sessions are designed to be 30 minutes because, as mentorhero states, it is effective and efficient, otherwise ‘young people get bored and professionals get busy’ if commitments are too long. The format works: more than 68% of first mentoring sessions end with the same mentor and mentee rebooking another session together.
DPD UK joins brands like Schroders that have partnered with mentorhero, and the platform already has thousands of young people signed up from across the UK. Young people aged 16 to 25 can book a session at https://mentorhero.com/, and other employers who want to give their people the chance to mentor are invited to get involved via the same site.
