It’s National Mentoring Day - a day created to celebrate mentoring worldwide, with a focus on:
- recognizing excellence in mentoring
- raising awareness on the significant benefits of mentoring
- encouraging more people to get involved with mentoring
Naturally, we feel like celebrating. We’re all about mentorship, after all.
Specifically, we’d like to celebrate National Mentoring Day by sharing important updates we’re making at Step Up. Updates, we believe, will better support all of us in carrying out our mission of mentorship.
Curious? Excited? Ready to learn more?
We hope so – because a new era is dawning at Step Up!
Why now? Two primary reasons:
#1 – We’ve evolved. We’re not the same organization we were nine years ago, the last time we really examined our identity through the lens of a brand refresh. We have a new strategic vision, new leadership and a new hybrid model, which allows us to reach girls and, for the first time, young women through age 23, with mentorship both in-person and virtually. The pandemic expedited change - and we’re feeling confident and energized by how we’ve come through it.
#2 – We’re about to celebrate a milestone birthday. You know the feelings you experience when turning 16, 21, 40, etc?! In 2023, Step Up will turn 25 and celebrate two and a half decades of service. And we’ve caught all the feels – thankful, reflective, connected, eager, determined and more. We’re looking back with so much gratitude for the women and girls who have come before us – whose authenticity have made our network what it is today. And, we’re looking ahead with the conviction necessary to keep marching toward our vision for the next 25 years and beyond.
These two reasons meant we owed it to our community to do the work at this time. To really think about who we are, the role we play, and what it will take to execute on our vision in the years ahead. In other words – when someone invites Step Up to a party, we want to be sure the organization that shows up is the organization the host was expecting. What we’re saying, wearing, how we’re acting – our brand is a promise, and we want to deliver on it.
With this in mind, we’re dialing up our focus on three new elements that will help distinguish us and our work as we kickoff these next 25 years of service:
· GUIDE – Our vision is to guide every girl, and those who identify with girlhood, to their success. We are supportive advocates, helping girls map out individualized pathways to success.
· INFINITE PATH – Our new symbol represents continuous growth and learning, community and connection. We believe that all paths and pivots are valid. Success is subjective. No one destination fits all – so why would one path fit all?
· CONNECTION – By bringing girls and mentors together in inspired spaces, we spark exploration and discussion of what’s possible. Step Up is a point of connection and togetherness. We cultivate community, kick start curiosity and create opportunities.
Our work in a nutshell?
Through structured programs, focused support, and inspiring connections, Step Up helps girls define and achieve their unique visions of success.
The best part?
After participating in Step Up’s programs, girls are more confident, connected, and career-ready. This past school year, 84% of teens reported feeling more confident, including an increased ability to make choices and take action, after participating in Step Up programs.
We thank our longtime partner Innovation Protocol, a brand and design consultancy, who provided strategic counsel on our brand work. You can read more from them about our brand project in other posts right here on our Step Up Blog.
As we mark National Mentoring Day today by sharing these organizational updates with you, we thank you for being a part of Step Up’s community of mentor and mentees. Together, we will guide every girl to their success.
TL;DR: We changed our logo.
In service,
the team at Step Up
P.S. Watch Step Up's sizzle reel here!
Step Up thanks National Board Member Suzanne Norr and Avatar Labs for creating this brand sizzle reel for us!
