SYP expands Mentoring scheme The Society of Young Publishers is expanding their mentorship schemes to now cover all areas of the UKand Ireland.The Society of Young Publishers (SYP) is proud to announce the expansion of its mentorship schemes tonow cover all areas of the UK and Ireland. As a result, more of those looking to get into or move ahead inthe industry than ever before will have the opportunity to receive personalised, structured career guidancefrom publishing experts.From Monday 28 September the SYP will be accepting applications from members and non-membersalike for those based across the UK and Ireland, excluding London and South East who had their ownmentorship scheme earlier in 2020.Carl Smith, Chair of the SYP, said of the expansion: “Location shouldn't be a barrier to a career in thepublishing industry, and neither should gaining work experience or the opportunity to find a mentor. At theSYP we want to ensure that’s true. By expanding our mentorship schemes we will hopefully make asignificant difference to the careers of countless aspiring and current publishers across the UK andIreland.”The expansion will see SYP North and SYP South West branches launch mentorship schemes for the firsttime. Of the move, SYP North Chair Elizabeth Beck said: “We are very proud to open up the mentorshipscheme here in the North. We're excited to offer a scheme that will open the door to the industry and makeit more accessible for those looking to get into publishing. The North has a lot to offer, so we are very muchlooking forward to flying the flag!”SYP South West Chair Jo de Vries, whose branch will cover the South West and Wales, said: “At a timewhen everyone in publishing is facing new challenges, the role of mentorship is more important than ever.Mentorship is how we empower each other and make the industry as a whole more diverse, moreinclusive, more transparent, more equal and more forward-looking. For the South West, it is a vital way ofopening up the opportunities across the region, from Cornwall to Cardiff.”In addition, SYP Scotland and SYP Oxford will continue to offer support to those based in Scotland andOxfordshire. Of the Scottish scheme, SYP Scotland Co-Chair Sonali Misra said: “The publishing industry issomehow shrouded in mystery. We’re excited that the seventh edition of our scheme will continue tounravel the industry’s inner workings by facilitating mentorships for applicants from the whole of Scotland.”While of their continued scheme, SYP Oxford Co-Chairs Esther Morrison and April Peake said: “This willbe the third year since the Oxford branch first launched its mentorship programme. In that time we havehelped a number of people across Oxford and the surrounding area find their next career move, includingthose looking to break into the industry and those already in it and trying to get ahead.”SYP London successfully ran their mentorship scheme earlier this year for those based in the capital andthe South East. In the process they attracted a record number of applications and thirty mentees secured aplace on the scheme – more than ever before.1The SYP@SYP_UK1[email protected]C2 General24/08/2020For those not based within the catchment areas of the branches mentioned above, applications should bemade to the SYP UK team. This includes those living across Ireland, where the SYP is excited to bepartnering with Publishing Ireland to run the scheme. Of this partnership, Joanna Smyth of PublishingIreland said: “It’s always been a central part of Publishing Ireland’s mission to share information andexpertise among members of the industry, and now we’re excited to partner with SYP on this mentorshipscheme, allowing us to reach out to those considering a career in publishing too. The guidance andsupport provided by a mentor are so essential, and it’s fantastic that this scheme will now include Irishapplicants and mentors in order to provide aspiring publishers as well as those new to the industry withgreater insight into Irish publishing (including the many career paths on offer) and a vital listening ear.”On Wednesday 9 September at 7pm SYP Chairs from each branch will participate in a Q&A webinar toanswer questions about the mentorship schemes and other SYP initiatives. To find out more about thisevent or book a free ticket for it, click here.Applications for the mentorship scheme will be made via the SYP