Evolve: What’s next?

When Young Arts Fundraisers (YAF), a peer-and volunteer-led professional network for early-career arts fundraisers joined forces with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising to offer the Evolve programme, pairing emerging fundraisers with leaders in the field, it did so with the simple aim of helping participants develop the skills they need to build a career in the sector. Now, as the 2024 Evolve intake prepare to leave the scheme – taking with them a carefully-constructed portfolio of new skills, experiences and connections – we sat down with the programme’s classically-focused mentees to find out how the scheme has helped them find their place in the industry.

When we first met Amy Young, development officer with London Youth Choirs (LYC), she was about halfway through the scheme’s six month period of development. One of Young’s biggest reasons for joining the scheme was the need for space to focus on her fundraising skills outside of the learning-on-the-job environment in which she had developed her career so far. Now, three months later, Young’s decision to take time outside her work with LYC to build on her expertise has paid dividends: ‘It really has allowed me to develop confidence in leading projects, and think more thoroughly about my career goals. I will take this learning with me for the rest of my career, and will always try to ensure I have a space outside of the organisation I work for, to reflect and grow.’ Young’s remarkable understanding of her own needs as a fundraiser has also presented a learning experience for her mentor, London School of Economics (LSE) associate director of Leadership Philanthropy, Fiona Rose. Rose describes the biggest lesson she has taken from Evolve’s 2024 intake: ‘Give the mentee time and space to process what they are giving themselves permission to do. Often they are reviewing their situation, seeing new possibilities – and that requires time. I have learned to simply be there and be patient. Allowing the mentee to work at their own pace.’

(Image courtesy of YAF)

For London Philharmonic Orchestra (LPO) campaigns and projects director Nick Jackman, who has been mentoring on the Evolve scheme across four intakes, his experience with mentee Homer Wong, development and events coordinator with the Academy of Ancient Music (AAM), has taught him the value of each developing fundraiser’s unique background and experiences. ‘It’s always fascinating to see how different people come at the challenges that are provided by early career fundraising,’ he tells me. ‘Everybody has a different skill set and comes from a different background. These dictate their priorities in the role, where they want to take it, and how they will set about this basic task that we all have as fundraisers – to make friends with people and ask them for money. It’s a brilliant reminder that one size certainly does not fit all.’

When I ask Jackman’s mentee Homer Wong about the biggest lesson he takes from his experience on Evolve, it is interesting to see that his stance from our first interview remains unchanged. ‘Previously, I mentioned that the best lesson I’ve learned wasn’t explicitly taught, but observed,’ he tells me. ‘Looking at the scheme as a whole, I still stand by this statement, and I am glad that both Nick and I prefer to meet in person for our sessions whenever possible.’ If opportunities for observation were key to Wong’s success, Jackman was certainly not short in supplying them for his mentee. Wong describes one such opportunity, an LPO open rehearsal and pre-concert talk which included input from a chair-sponsored musician in the orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts scheme. This ‘truly heartfelt’ experience, Wong explains, made a tangible impact on his own work with AAM. ‘It made me realise the importance of showcasing the impact of donations and their power in strengthening donor relationships. This gave me the confidence to 'borrow' the idea and make an event proposal to my line manager. I am proud to say that our next members-exclusive online event will feature a story from one of our young musicians, a direct result of my initiative inspired by our mentorship sessions, now coming to fruition.’

Wong approached his six months on Evolve strategically, and explains how he prioritised the skills needed to fulfil his role at AAM in the first half of the scheme before moving on to focus on ‘becoming a more well-rounded fundraiser by learning from Nick’s experience working in larger musical organisations and covering areas that I’m less exposed to at AAM, such as corporate fundraising.’ For Wong, Evolve’s cohort sessions, which brought together participants from across the 2024 intake to learn together, were vital for this 360-degree approach.

For Young, the additional focus for her time on the Evolve scheme was to build her confidence. This is another area in which her mentor’s experience and guidance helped her make strides towards her goal. And as Young’s faith in herself grew, so too did her ability to contribute to the vital work LYC does to transform young lives through singing. ‘I am more confident than I was at the beginning of the programme,’ she comments, ‘and I now enjoy contributing to wider and more thorough discussions within my charity, such as theory of change models, ethical fundraising policies, and the interactions between in-house marketing and fundraising. Being part of these conversations means I am more embedded into my organisation, as I am taking an active role in navigating strategy, and change.’ For Rose, the change in her mentee’s self-assurance has opened new avenues for the developing fundraiser’s career: ‘Her challenge now is to redefine her career trajectory.’

Where Young benefitted from this confidence-building approach, Wong’s development required a mentor who encouraged him to be independent. ‘Nick’s coaching approach emphasises finding my own solutions and taking initiative rather than waiting for instructions,’ he explained. ‘Working in a smaller team, I often face new challenges rather than repetitive tasks, making his approach especially valuable as it nurtures a self-reliant attitude in me.’

(Image courtesy of YAF)

However, even with this lighter-touch approach, the value of mentorship cannot be overstated. For Young, whose top priority was to find a space where she could build skills outside of her day-to-day responsibilities with LYC, Rose was the ideal pairing: ‘Fiona listens with no judgement at all, and made me feel comfortable and confident from the very first session. Having such a supportive mentor, who is unbiased, thoughtful and measured has enabled me to thrive and become more confident in my professional skills.’ Wong, like Young, also benefitted from the more neutral, third-party advice his mentor was able to offer outside his work with AAM: ‘Having a safe place to discuss my medium and long-term career trajectory has been invaluable.’ Working with Jackman, Wong also had the chance to look beyond the fundraising activities he came into contact with in his current role, to skills which helped him grow into the well-rounded fundraiser he aspired to be. ‘We also discussed corporate fundraising, which is a challenging area for classical music in the current climate,’ Jackman recalls. ‘The AAM does not have corporate support within its income mix so we again spoke about the LPO’s experiences in this area, addressing questions such as the motivations and expectations around corporate sponsorship, how to build an effective case for support and the thorny issue of ethical considerations.’

Beyond the vital career support Jackman and Rose offer their Evolve mentors, a notable thread running through my conversations with their mentors was how their respective approaches offered welcome support when their mentors faced personal challenges as well as professional hurdles. For Wong these came in the form of uncertainties about whether he could remain in the UK and, continue to ‘honour my commitment to the project.’ Jackman’s support during this rocky period, again tailored to the needs and approach of his mentee, did not go unnoticed: ‘Nick treated me with the same support and understanding regardless of this uncertainty. Fortunately, this situation was resolved positively, and I am deeply grateful to Nick for his empathy and support during this challenging period.’ Young’s difficulties, in contrast, came in the form of scheduling challenges. ‘I have struggled with keeping on top of meeting with Fiona,’ she admits, ‘as in the last few months, life got in the way. I moved into a new flat, had a busy time at work and before I knew it, I had not met with Fiona for two months. We had a meeting last week, which was incredibly useful, albeit chatty!’ Even this unplanned portion of the Evolve programme came with its own lessons: ‘The short break was a reminder of how useful I really find the sessions.’

(Image courtesy of YAF)

It is clear that the Evolve scheme has had a transformative effect on the participants we have followed throughout the 2024 intake; Young’s confidence has changed her approach to contributing to LYC’s work while Wong is now able to emulate the very relationship-building abilities he so strongly admired in his mentor during our first conversation. Jackman describes one situation in which his mentee’s new-found abilities were put to use: ‘I was lucky enough to attend a concert by the orchestra over the summer and was able to see how assured he was networking in the drinks reception whilst (almost unbeknownst to any of the guests) being in charge of all of the logistics. This sense of calm unflappability will serve him well!’

For someone who has gained so much from Evolve, it is surprising to hear that Wong’s application process was plagued with uncertainty. ‘Before I applied for Evolve, I had many doubts about whether I was ready, worried about rejection, or that I wouldn’t have enough time to commit,’ he tells me. ‘Looking back after completing the scheme, I realise that my progress over the past year would have been significantly different if I had not been part of Evolve or met Nick. The challenges I faced and the growth I experienced have made me more assured in my own abilities than ever.’

Looking ahead to the next intake, for which applications are now open, Young encourages other emerging fundraisers to take the plunge: ‘I would highly recommend the course to young and aspiring fundraisers, particularly if they work in a small organisation with a small fundraising team. It's so nice to have a community of fundraisers, to learn, celebrate successes and commiserate application rejections.’ And for any prospective applicants who, like Wong, aren’t sure they’re ready? ‘Apply first and doubt later,’ Wong advises. ‘You are more capable than you think.’

Young Arts Fundraisers’ Evolve programme is run in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Fundraising. You can find more information about the scheme, including how to apply, here. Applications close on 18 July.