Building a mentorship programme for young eisteddfod organisers
A strong eisteddfod depends on much more than a polished programme and a well-run stage. It relies on people who understand the culture, can coordinate volunteers, communicate with performers and families, manage budgets, and respond calmly when plans change. For young organisers, learning these skills is easier when practical experience is supported by a trusted guide.
A mentorship programme can connect emerging committee members with experienced organisers across Wales, Australia and the wider Welsh community. It can protect local knowledge while giving younger volunteers room to introduce fresh ideas, digital tools and more inclusive ways of working. The aim is a useful relationship built around real events, regular conversation and shared responsibility.
| Mentoring approach | Main strength | Potential risk | Suitable use |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-to-one mentor | Personal support and honest feedback | Relationship may become too dependent on one person | New committee members |
| Peer learning group | Shared ideas and stronger networks | Some voices may dominate | Young organisers at a similar stage |
| Event shadowing | Immediate practical experience | Requires careful scheduling | First-time volunteers |
| Skills workshops | Consistent training across committees | Less tailored to local needs | Finance, marketing or safeguarding |
| Blended programme | Combines advice, practice and reflection | Needs good coordination | A regional or national network |
Start with the purpose and the people
The first step is to decide what the programme should change. A broad ambition such as “supporting the next generation” is valuable, but organisers need clearer outcomes. These might include helping a mentee plan a running order, understand judging arrangements, recruit stewards, prepare a risk assessment, write a grant application or lead a post-event review.
The programme should also recognise that young organisers are not a single group. A secondary school student helping with registrations will need different support from a university graduate taking responsibility for sponsorship or a young parent joining a rural committee. Some may already have event experience, while others may be confident with social media but unfamiliar with Welsh cultural traditions and committee procedures.
Ask local committees what they need before setting the structure. A short survey, listening session or informal “cuppa and chat” can reveal barriers that a central plan might miss. In Australia, a Welsh society in Melbourne may have different priorities from a regional group near Toowoomba, particularly around volunteer availability, travel time and access to performance venues.
Create a clear mentoring agreement
Each mentoring relationship should begin with a simple agreement. It can cover the purpose of the partnership, meeting frequency, preferred communication channels, confidentiality, boundaries and responsibilities. The document does not need legal language. Its purpose is to prevent confusion and make it easier to discuss concerns early.
A useful agreement might ask the mentor to share experience, explain decisions, introduce relevant contacts and give constructive feedback. The mentee can commit to preparing for meetings, trying agreed actions and reflecting on what happened. Both should understand that a mentor is a guide rather than a manager, therapist or substitute committee chair.
Set realistic timeframes. A six-month cycle may be enough for someone preparing a single local eisteddfod, while a year-long relationship could support a full planning calendar. Include a beginning conversation, a midpoint review and a final reflection. If either person needs to step away, there should be a respectful process for rematching rather than leaving the mentee without support.
Recruit mentors with varied experience
The strongest mentor pool will include more than long-serving presidents. Invite people with knowledge of stage management, finance, communications, safeguarding, adjudication, folk dancing, folk singing, cerdd dant, venue operations and volunteer coordination. A young professional who has improved a committee’s online ticketing system may be just as useful as someone with decades of traditional event experience.
Recruitment messages should explain the commitment plainly. Prospective mentors need to know how many hours are expected, whether travel is involved and what training is available. Some will prefer one-to-one guidance; others may be better suited to a workshop or group discussion. Make space for bilingual mentors and people who understand both Welsh cultural practice and the realities of Australian community events.
A selection process should consider character as well as expertise. Patience, reliability, openness to new ideas and respect for young people matter greatly. References or committee recommendations can help, particularly where mentors will work with under-18s. In Australia, any arrangement involving children should follow the relevant state or territory requirements, including Working with Children Checks where applicable.
Match relationships thoughtfully
Matching should consider goals, communication style, location and availability. A mentee wanting to learn sponsorship may benefit from a mentor experienced in local business partnerships, while someone taking charge of a youth dance section may need guidance from a person familiar with rehearsal planning and child-safe practice. Shared interests can help, but identical backgrounds are not essential.
Geography deserves special attention. A mentor and mentee in the same town can visit a venue together, while a regional pairing may need video calls and shared documents. Australian distances can be substantial, especially for committees serving communities outside Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. A hybrid model can combine online meetings with one carefully planned event visit rather than expecting frequent travel.
The first meeting should be structured but relaxed. Each person can describe their experience, current responsibilities, hopes and concerns. They might then choose two or three practical goals for the first quarter. “Learn about marketing” is too vague; “create a four-week social media calendar and review its results” gives the relationship a useful focus.
Learn through real event work
Mentoring becomes most effective when it is connected to an actual eisteddfod calendar. A young organiser might shadow the process of booking a hall, observe how a committee allocates duties, help prepare a competitor information pack or coordinate volunteers on the day. Afterward, the mentor can lead a short debrief about what worked, what was stressful and what could be changed.
Break the event into manageable responsibilities. Early tasks might include updating contact lists, checking certificates, preparing signage or contacting local schools. Later, the mentee can take ownership of a small team, a section of the programme or a communications campaign. This gradual increase in responsibility builds confidence without placing the entire event at risk.
Include activities that reflect the full life of an event. Financial planning, supplier communication, accessibility, emergency procedures, judging protocols and cultural presentation all deserve attention. A mentor can explain why a decision was made, invite the mentee to suggest an alternative and then let them carry out an agreed task. That balance between instruction and autonomy is central to leadership development.
Make inclusion part of the training
Accessibility should be taught as an organising responsibility rather than added at the last minute. Mentors can help young organisers review entrances, seating, signage, acoustics, backstage movement, quiet areas and online information. They should also encourage committees to ask families and performers what would make participation easier.
Practical resources can support this work. For example, organisers planning a calmer area for performers or audience members can use this guide to create a sensory-friendly space as part of their event preparation. The mentoring conversation should then move beyond the resource: who will oversee the space, how will it be promoted, and how will feedback be collected?
Child safety and respectful conduct require equal attention. Every participant should know who to contact about a concern, how complaints are recorded and when an issue must be escalated. Mentors working with younger organisers need clear boundaries around private communication, transport and meetings. Group channels, visible venues and documented decisions can protect everyone while keeping the relationship warm and approachable.
Build skills in communication and funding
Young organisers often become the public face of an event before they feel ready. Mentors can help them write clear emails, prepare a committee report, speak with schools, welcome performers and handle difficult conversations. Role-play is useful for situations such as a late programme change, a disappointed parent or a volunteer who has taken on too much.
Marketing should suit the community rather than follow a generic campaign. A local eisteddfod may need a printed flyer at the library, a notice in a school newsletter, community radio coverage and regular Facebook updates. In Australia, many volunteer-led events rely on council newsletters, local sporting clubs and word of mouth, particularly in regional areas. Young organisers can bring digital confidence while mentors explain which channels local families actually use.
Funding knowledge should be practical and ethical. Show mentees how to prepare a basic budget, identify in-kind support, acknowledge sponsors and track income and expenses. Australian committees may work with local councils, state arts agencies, community foundations or Welsh societies, each with different application dates and reporting requirements. A mentor can review a draft grant application, but the young organiser should learn to explain the event’s cultural, educational and community value in their own words.
Keep the network active after the first cycle
A mentorship programme will have greater value when relationships continue beyond the formal end date. Create a small alumni network where former mentees can share templates, recommend suppliers, discuss problems and celebrate achievements. A quarterly online gathering can work well when people are spread across Wales and Australia, while an annual in-person session can provide deeper connection.
Track outcomes without turning the programme into paperwork for its own sake. Record participation, completed projects, new responsibilities, volunteer retention and feedback from mentees and mentors. Ask what the mentee can now do independently. The clearest sign of progress may be a young organiser confidently chairing a planning meeting, welcoming a new volunteer or leading a review after the final competition.
Invite graduates to return as peer mentors, workshop presenters or committee advisers. This creates a pathway rather than a one-off placement. It also prevents knowledge from remaining with a small group of experienced leaders. A young person who has learned to coordinate a folk singing section or improve competitor communications may soon be able to support another committee facing the same task.
A well-designed programme gives young organisers room to learn, make decisions and contribute to the future of eisteddfodau. Begin with a small pilot, choose committed mentors, connect learning to real event duties and review the experience honestly. Cymdeithas Eisteddfodau Cymru can help local committees share methods, resources and encouragement so that emerging leaders feel part of a living cultural network.
Invite interested committees, mentors and young volunteers to map their first mentoring cycle now. A simple expression-of-interest form, an introductory gathering and two practical goals can turn goodwill into action, strengthening the people who will carry Welsh performance, language and community tradition forward.