What is the Wish List?
Does your mentee need advice? We have an amazing Network of over 7,000 creative and cultural professionals who our young people can access via the Wish List. The Wish List is managed by the Arts Emergency Community team who process requests once a month.
Why would I, as a mentor, make a Wish List Request?
We don’t expect our mentors to know everything and everyone that may be useful to your mentee. The Wish List enables you to facilitate conversations and networking between your mentee with other professionals who can help your young person with their development and life choices. Mentees under 18 can only request Network connections through their mentor.
How do I make a request on behalf of my mentee?
You can make a request for your mentee to be connected with a professional within the Arts Emergency Network for some 1-to-1 advice via the mentor report form. Please note that we can only process one request per mentee a month. Please also make sure that you have discussed this request with your mentee and have their permission to make the request on their behalf.
My mentee is over 18, should I still make a request on their behalf?
If your mentee is over 18, they can make a request themselves via the Young Community Wish List. If, however, your mentee would like you to be involved in this process and included in email introductions with Network members then you should make the request on their behalf. If your mentee makes a request via the Young Community Wish List, you will not be automatically notified of its fulfilment or progress.
Can you give me some examples of past Wish List requests?
Some of our previous Wish List requests have included:
To talk to a self-taught musician.
To meet someone who studied English and Creative Writing at university.
Someone to look over a UCAS personal statement.
Discussion/advice about a career in publishing.
A conversation with an animator working in the film industry.
To speak with a TV commissioner.
What happens after I submit a request?
Once a month the Arts Emergency Community team emails the Wish List to our Network members who respond with offers of help.
If we get responses to a request, we send these responses to the young person so that they can confirm which one they would like to follow up with.
Arts Emergency will then contact the Network member and then connect them to the young person and their mentor via email.
After being connected, mentors will be responsible for arranging the date and time of the meeting with the Network member. The Arts Emergency Community Team is not able to coordinate meeting logistics on your behalf. If your mentee is under 18, you will need to be cc'd in all email correspondence, and present when they meet the Network member.
What happens after the meeting?
If the young person is over 18, they can keep in touch with the Network member independently. For all communications with under 18s, a DBS-checked Arts Emergency mentor, or member of staff must also be included.
A few weeks after a mentee has been connected with a Network member, the mentee will receive an email by the Community team with a link to a page where they can submit a progress report. We use these reports to ensure we’re offering our young people the best support possible. They will have to send us a connection report before they can make any new requests.
Is there a limit to the number of requests I can make?
Due to the high amount of requests that we receive, there is a limit of one request per month per young person. You may want to check with your mentee to make sure that you both don't double up on requests during one month. Please also note that if your mentee does not make a request one month, they cannot make multiple requests the next month.
How long does it take for a request to get fulfilled?
We send Wish Lists out to the Network at the beginning of every month so it usually takes us at least one month to sort out your request. Requests may be delayed if a mentee has not submitted an outstanding connection report or Ruby Ticket review.
What if I want to request work experience?
Please ask your mentee to complete the Work Placement Interest form instead.
What if I have a safeguarding concern related to a network member?
If you are concerned about the safety of your Arts Emergency mentee at any point during a network connection please use the safeguarding form. Our Designated Safeguarding Officer or Deputy Designated Safeguarding Officer will contact you as soon as possible.
What if I have more questions?
If you have any questions about the Wish List please feel free to send the Community team an email.