How to be a mentor for hairdressing charities at home and abroad

What you learn on a hairdressing course can go further than just back to the salon - hairdressing charities at home and abroad could really benefit from your knowledge to help those in need. Charity mentoring programs are the perfect way for experienced hairdressers to pass on their knowledge to those in developing countries, enabling them to lean a skill of their own which will help them a earn a living and enjoy the benefits that this rewarding career can bring. As the old saying goes, "Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and he will eat for a lifetime" - why not use the power of your education to pave the way for a lifetime of self-sufficiency for someone who really needs it? Here are some of the hairdressing schemes currently available for charitable mentoring; SHAIR Trust What? The SHAIR Trust supports hair academies for the underprivileged in Africa, helping young adults get out of the slums and into salons. Education is provided for free in state-of-the-art surroundings with quality equipment donated by hairdressing companies. Over the course of a year students are trained to the equivalent of NVQ Level 2 with an externally assessed, internationally recognised qualification. Following nine months of practical salon experience, graduates also have the opportunity to progress to the equivalent of NVQ Level 3, learning as they work. Where? Throughout Africa Find out more: Click here for more information Shaping Futures What? Shaping Futures is a social initiative which has seen Schwarzkopf Professional pair with SOS Children's Villages, the world's largest charity for orphans and abandoned children with community homes for 78,000 children in 125 developing countries. Young adults in these villages are taught basic hairdressing skills, with volunteer hairdressers spending up to four weeks at a time providing free training and education. Where? Across the globe - programs have taken place in Peru, India, Morocco, Latvia and Peru. Find out more: Click here for more information Wella-UNICEF Making Waves What: Wella Professionals has partnered with UNICEF to develop a program which aims to provide young people in disadvantaged areas with a brighter, more positive future by nurturing their creative skills with education, lifeskills and hairdressing training. Based around a long-term mentoring programme, Wella hairdressers from across the globe will teach in fully equipped centres, providing young people with the skills required to become fully-qualified hairdressers themselves as well as increasing their self-esteem and raising their aspirations. Where? Brazil, Romania Find out more: Click here for more information