Kayden and Fatima sixth form students from a school in North London, took part in The Diana Award’s Autumn 2024 12-week Mentoring Programme before progressing onto the Social Action Acceleration Project (SAAP) in Spring 2025.
Young people: Kayden & Fatima
Programme: Mentoring Programme & Social Action Acceleration Project (SAAP)
Mentors: Tskenya & Annette
The Diana Award Mentoring Programme Coordinator: Gina
Kayden and Fatima sixth form students from a school in North London, took part in The Diana Award’s Autumn 2024 12-week Mentoring Programme before progressing onto the Social Action Acceleration Project (SAAP) in Spring 2025. Together, with mentors Tskenya and Annette, they developed and delivered a powerful social action project exploring identity, inclusivity and misogynoir, culminating in a school-based exhibition that brought their community together.
Starting the journey
Fatima first heard about The Diana Award through her school and friends who had previously taken part. Kayden was interested in mentoring as a chance to build experiences that would strengthen their CV, while working closely with people who shared similar values.
The initial 12-week mentoring programme was structured through weekly sessions. Beginning with icebreakers and group activities, the sessions moved into focusing on life skills, future pathways such as apprenticeships, and skills including teamwork. Through activities like building the tallest structure to support a phone, mentees discovered their strengths and bonded as a group.
Mentors and matching
Tskenya, a broadcaster, and Annette, a lawyer, brought different but complementary mentoring styles to the programme. Both had extensive mentoring and volunteering experience but described The Diana Award programme as unique. Annette, who often mentors students in a more traditional coaching capacity, said social action mentoring was “very different to anything I’ve been involved in before.” Rather than giving answers, she learned alongside the young people, supporting them to achieve their goals while managing the realities of a large-scale project.
Tskenya was drawn to mentoring as a way of “paying it forward,” having experienceding bullying as a child and benefited from strong mentors growing up. She was particularly passionate about unlocking skills and talents that already exist in young people, using creativity as a form of expression and development. Both mentors highlighted the importance of The Diana Award’s thoughtful matching process, which considered lived experience and personality, creating a strong synergy in the room.
Shaping the social action
After completing the initial programme, Kayden and Fatima applied to the Social Action Accelerator Project, meeting monthly over five months to develop their idea further. They initially proposed an exhibition themed around misogynoir, drawing from issues that mattered to them and their peers. However, as the early sessions unfolded, it became clear they also wanted to explore a wider range of identities and experiences — including LGBTQ+ identity, disability, culture, childhood, and difference.
Through guided discussions, they moved from having “too many options” to shaping a clearer, more inclusive focus. Race remained an important thread, but the project evolved into a broader celebration of identity and the many facets that shape who we are. This process helped them channel personal stories into a creative concept for a photographyled exhibition, combining portraits, written narratives, and interactive ways for visitors to engage.
From idea to delivery
Delivering the project alongside studying and exams was challenging. Fatima focused on organisational skills, learning to use her calendar effectively and realising, when she looked back over the summer, just how much she was capable of juggling. Kayden contributed photography skills and reflected on how the project changed the way they take photos – moving from creating for themselves to creating with purpose and impact.
Practical considerations were a major learning curve: finding the right people to get involved, coordinating schedules, managing a budget, and working with the school as a venue for the exhibition. Annette recalled moments of feeling nervous by the scale of the ambition, prompting honest conversations about self-management as well as project management.
On the day of the exhibition, there were moments of stress as the space was set up within a tight three-hour window. Kayden worked hard on curating the exhibition and was supported by Fatima, Tskenya and Annette to stay focused on this key task. Family, friends, art and photography classes, and younger students attended, engaging deeply with the work. Younger pupils contributed reflections via post-it notes, adding another layer of participation.
Impact and reflection
Following the exhibition, the Fatima and Kayden had the opportunity to debriefed with Tskenya, Annette and the wider mentoring team, reviewing survey feedback and post-it note reflections. The project now lives on through The Diana Award’s website, extending its reach beyond the school community.
Fatima described the experience as “hitting the jackpot,” praising Gina’s organisation, kindness and steady support, as well as Tskenya’s humour and encouragement and Annette’s calm, grounding presence. Kayden echoed this, noting how well the mentors balanced passion with realism. Finding mentors who were “on our wavelength,” creating a positive and trusting dynamic.
Both young people grew in confidence, presenting on exhibition day, sharing personal stories vulnerably, and leading the space with warmth. They emerged as future leaders, keen to continue taking part in social action.
For Tskenya and Annette, the experience was equally transformative. Tskenya described it as “gorgeous” and deeply rewarding, while Annette called it “profound” and “life-affirming.” Both left excited to power up more young people through mentoring, reinforcing the lasting impact of The Diana Award’s approach for everyone involved.
