The FAW recently launched year four of the BE. Football mentoring programme at Dragon Park, Newport.
The programme aims to aid the career progression of young women in football through mentoring and workshops designed to enhance their skillset and confidence. Mentees include those who are interested in starting their first job in football or those looking to progress to a more senior role on or off the pitch.
The FAW welcomed 36 new mentors and mentees to Dragon Park to kickstart their journeys on the programme. The BE. Football: Mentoring Programme saw great success in 2024 with 16 mentees from across the Welsh football family and 16 mentors from across the FAW and the association’s trusted partners taking part.
To kick off the day the mentees took part in a ‘This is ME’ and ‘Shaping Our Environment workshop’ with Carys Ingram, Equality Diversity Inclusion & Sustainability Executive at the FAW; meanwhile the mentors were taken through their session with Claire Ewing from Pause, Play, Perform to equip them with the tools for their journey as a mentor, including reflecting on their own journey to this point.
To push everyone out of their comfort zone the mentees and mentors participated in a content capture challenge which empowered them to identify what makes them an inspirational person. The mentees and mentors then spent one-to-one time together to map out their next few months on the programme.
Finally, to close the day Laura McAllister, UEFA Vice President and Executive Committee member, participated in a Q&A with the guests where she gave advice to the mentees and mentors on navigating a male-dominated industry, as well as sharing her excitement of the growth of Women’s football and the upcoming opportunity for Cymru in the Women’s 2025 Euros.
Angharad Evans, year 4 mentee said:
“It was great to spend the day surrounded by likeminded women who all share the same passion and drive, and I can’t wait to get to know everyone during the course of the programme.
“I’m looking forward to working with my mentor who is a fantastic inspiration and I know already that there’s so much I can learn from her. Hopefully, the next 7 months will be about learning new skills, meeting new people and pushing myself out of my comfort zone”
Interested in joining the programme? Applications for the 2026 BE. Football Mentoring Programme will open in January 2026.
