Security is Youth Speed Mentoring
Yesterday we brought together a group of experienced professionals and early-career attendees for a Speed Mentoring session at Home Grown Members Club - an afternoon designed around conversation, access, and practical exchange.
The structure was intentionally simple. Short, timed rotations between mentors and mentees created space for focused discussions - the kind that move quickly past surface-level introductions and into something more useful. It encouraged clarity on both sides: thoughtful questions, considered responses, and, importantly, honesty about the realities of working in the sector.
We were pleased to open the session with Ana Williams from The Hook Studio, who delivered a talk on The Connection Advantage: Networking for Professional Growth. Her session offered a measured perspective on what effective networking actually looks like in practice - not volume, but depth; not transactions, but relationships built over time. It set the tone well for what followed.
A sincere thank you is owed to the mentors who gave their time and insight so generously: Ana Williams, David Botfield, Deborah Reilly, Daren Lang, Farah Benis, Jack Timmins, Jim Maietta, John Akerele, Kate Dawes, Matt Blake, Phil Tennent, Shakirra Patel, Stuart Nash, and Cynthia Ugwu. Their willingness to engage openly and share experience is what made the session meaningful.
As the afternoon went on, the energy in the room noticeably lifted. What started off a little tentative quickly turned into a proper buzz - conversations flowing, people leaning in, swapping ideas, and building on each interaction. It's sometimes difficult in a photo or a retelling to really convey atmosphere, but it was a room full of people genuinely engaged and connecting.
For those who attended as mentees, there is something worth recognising here. Engaging in opportunities like this - showing up, asking questions, listening carefully - are not small things. They are, in many ways, the foundations of a strong and considered career.
If we are serious about developing the next generation of professionals in this industry, it requires more than intent. It requires time, access, and a willingness to share knowledge in a way that is practical and accessible. This session was a brilliant example of that in action.
To our sponsors — Everbridge, Wesco Anixter, Convergint, AlertMedia, Securitas, FFA Security Group, and Association of Security Consultants — we simply can’t do this without you.
We look forward to continuing the conversation.
