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Partner Spotlight: The Girls Network - Interview with Becca Dean MBE, Co-Founder And CEO Of The Girls’ Network
The Otiumberg Giving Fund embodies our ongoing commitment to giving back & lifting others up by giving 1% of all sales to organisations whose work supports the empowerment of women.
From 2024, we have partnered with The Girl’s Network, a UK charity working to inspire & empower girls from the least advantaged communities by connecting them with a mentor and a network of positive female role models. Our ongoing partnership aims to support 10 girls through a year of hands-on mentorship, while also offering an internship scheme to two girls from the ambassador programme each year.
To celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day — and the meaningful milestone of The Girls’ Network’s 13th anniversary — we are proud to share a discussion with Co-Founder and CEO, Becca Dean MBE, reflecting on the power of mentorship and the lasting impact of investing in young women.
Pictured here are Becca Dean (right) and Charly Young MBE (left), Co-Founder of The Girl's Network.
What first made you feel that mentoring could genuinely change the direction of a girl’s life?
“One moment that has always stayed with me was a school trip into London when a girl pointed to a woman walking into the Gherkin and asked, “Miss, who is that woman? What is she doing?” When I explained she was going to work, it struck me how unfamiliar that world felt to some of the girls I taught.”
When you founded The Girls’ Network, what gap were you trying to fill - and why did it feel urgent?
“At the time, it was clear that many girls had huge potential but limited awareness of the opportunities open to them. They often only knew of a narrow range of careers based on their existing networks, and without exposure or guidance, that could hold them back. The gap felt urgent then, and it still does today, particularly as girls face rising pressures and inequalities. By connecting them with mentors who could guide, challenge, and inspire, we aimed to give them the confidence, knowledge, and support to make choices that reflected their full potential."
Was there someone in your own life who helped shape your confidence, and what did they give you that stayed with you?
“One person who has profoundly shaped my confidence is Hannah Essex, Co-Chief Executive of SOLT & UK Theatre and Vice Chair of The Girls’ Network. She believed in the idea of The Girl’s Network from the very beginning - before it had momentum and proof. That unwavering belief gave me the confidence not to give up."
What’s the biggest shift you see in girls from the start of the programme to the end?
“The most profound shift is often in how girls see themselves. At the start, many are hesitant to speak up about their ambitions or unsure whether their goals are realistic. Over time, you see their confidence grow, they begin to articulate what they want, advocate for themselves, and step into spaces they might once have felt were out of reach."
What’s something you’ve learned from the girls themselves that you didn’t expect?
“Their ambition and sense of what’s right, even in the face of systemic challenges, is always striking. It makes me realise how important it is to keep up the fight - to keep pushing, keep creating opportunities, and keep believing change is possible."
In your experience, what makes a mentor truly impactful - beyond giving advice?
“The mentors who make the biggest difference are the ones who are curious and consistent. It’s not about telling a girl what she should do, it’s about opening up possibilities, sharing your own experiences, and showing what confidence, self-belief and professionalism can look like in real life. That combination of guidance, encouragement, and reflection is what makes mentoring so powerful."
Why do you think mentoring is especially powerful for girls and young women?
“Girls and young women are still navigating structural inequalities and societal expectations that can shape what they believe is possible. We often quote the children’s rights activist Marian Wright Edelman, who said, “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it”, because we believe mentoring helps change that. It provides both representation and a supportive relationship, showing girls that women can succeed in a wide range of careers and leadership roles while helping them imagine those possibilities for themselves."
What does “female empowerment” mean to you in real terms - not as a slogan, but in everyday life?
“For me, female empowerment is about more than inspiration - it’s about real choice, real opportunity, and the freedom to act without being held back by gendered expectations. In everyday life, it shows up when women are listened to, taken seriously, and trusted to lead."
If someone reading this is considering supporting mentoring (or becoming amentor), what would you want them to understand about the impact they couldhave?
“Never underestimate the difference you can make by showing up for a young person. You don’t need to be extraordinary - you just need to be willing to listen, share, and believe in a girl’s potential. Mentoring is a relationship that can have a real and lasting impact. By mentoring with The Girls’ Network, you’re helping to ensure that a girl’s background doesn’t limit her opportunities, and giving her the confidence, guidance, and support to pursue her ambitions and make the most of her potential."
Read the full interview here.
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