Donna Smith (Rise)
Founded in 2017, Rise has grown to become a truly global network dedicated to advancing women in the broadcast industry. With a reach now extending across the UK, Europe, North America and Asia-Pacific, we offer access to a vibrant community and programmes designed to address specific challenges faced by women in our sector.
Our work at Rise includes:
- Delivering a robust mentoring programme, currently supporting 137 mentee–mentor pairings across the globe;
- Celebrating the skills and achievements of brilliant women, allies and companies across the industry through our annual Rise Awards;
- Supporting women transitioning into senior leadership positions through the Rise C-Suite Programme;
- Fostering inclusivity and diversity across conference panels within the industry through our Panel Plus initiative;
- Providing membership options with access to regular networking events, seminars, workshops and conferences.
Power of mentoring
At the heart of our activity lies the Rise Mentoring Programme. It is a transformative, six-month scheme supporting women who aspire to elevate their careers with tailored guidance, specialized training, and a supportive community focused on personal and professional growth.
The impact of the scheme is monumental, with our alumni regularly sharing success stories and highlighting career advancements. Rise mentors, who are all highly esteemed industry experts, also point to various tangible benefits of participating in the programme. They often mention learning just as much as mentees do, gaining new perspectives and improving their leadership skills. (See below)
Inclusive community
At Rise, we also want to go the extra mile to support our community during career-defining experiences, such as attending major trade shows. This September, we prepared a full calendar of activities for the IBC Show, providing members and new joiners with opportunities to engage, learn, and connect with industry leaders. Our stand was once again the buzzing hub for the
Rise community, with numerous enhancements and engaging activities. You can also become a member of Rise, for free, via our website.
The EBU, as the world’s foremost alliance of public service media (PSM) organizations, provides an ideal platform to support Rise’s mission. By collaborating with the PSM community, we can reach more women in the industry, helping them excel in their careers through our impactful programmes.
Ultimately, Rise is ready to help EBU Members create environments where female talent can thrive and lead, ultimately strengthening the entire industry.
In a mentor's words
Stephan Heimbecher, chair of the EBU Strategic Programme on Smart Media Production and a mentor since 2022, shared that his inspiration to be a Rise Mentor is the possibility to give back to the younger generation and especially to female members of our industry.
In Stephan’s opinion, mentors can benefit from the Rise Mentoring Programme by being “forced” to take a different perspective, i.e., by looking at things through the eyes of a younger person and – in case of a male mentor – by trying to put themselves in the position of a female member of an industry.
“We have arrived in a world that is spinning faster and faster and the experience from a 30+ year career in our industry no longer has the same value as some decades back – and that is why connecting with the younger generation is so beneficial,” he added.
This article was first published in the September 2024 issue of tech-i magazine.