How ‘Good luck’ can mean the world
Oksana is an alumni mentee of the 14th Routes Mentoring Programme. She worked together with her mentor Cat on building her professional skills.
Oksana and Cat wrote a three-part blog series together, to reflect on the different components of their journey.
In this blog: the importance of support and recognition, when you are trying to build a new life.
Oksana (left) and Cat (right) at the end of programme celebration event
Oksana: I suppose you won’t find an easy story among the mentees in the Routes Mentoring Programme — and I’m no exception.
In May 2022, I fled the war in Ukraine with my teenage child and toddler. I left behind a successful career in international trade, a home I had built with love, and the comfort of being able to plan a future for myself and my family. Everything familiar disappeared overnight.
Still, I believed I could rebuild. I had my English skills, a strong work ethic, and a proactive attitude. That should be enough, I thought. But reality was tougher than I expected.
Soon I realised that my English wasn’t as strong as I had hoped — at least not enough for professional opportunities — and my previous work experience didn’t seem relevant in the local market. I had to start over, quite literally, taking physical work in a warehouse, working long, exhausting night shifts just to get by.
Thanks to some incredible support from social and community organisations, I moved forward. I found a part-time job I actually enjoyed. My family started a small business. Life began to feel more stable.
But even after three years and many personal achievements, I still struggled. I couldn’t even get an invitation to an interview. I wasn’t sure what career path to follow. I missed that feeling of clarity — knowing where I was going and how to get there.
It was in this moment of uncertainty that I joined the Routes Mentoring Programme.
I was really excited when I met my mentor Cat. But I was also impressed by her success! I feared our conversations might feel formal and distant, like an official meeting where I didn’t quite belong. However, that worry quickly stopped, as we had very lovely conversations and we were able to point out each other’s successes.
Finding a specific job wasn’t my main goal when I joined the programme. But then, a former volunteer from the organisation I work for sent me a vacancy that immediately caught my interest. It felt like something I truly wanted — and Cat supported me every step of the way.
What I appreciated most was how seriously she took this. She helped me improve my CV and cover letter on very short notice, even spending time on it during her weekend. She prepared me for the interview — the first formal interview I had ever been invited to in London. We even discussed what I should wear.
“But what moved me to tears was a short message I received just before the interview. It simply said: “Good luck.” That was the moment I truly understood the power of having a mentor — a woman who leads by example, who believes in you, and who can send you some encouragement when you need it the most.”
Cat: I was really excited to be paired with Oksana, and to work with her on her professional skills. Reading the job description for the job Oksana was applying for, solidified for me Oksana’s ambition. I could see her drive to grow in her career and further establish a fulfilling new life in her new city - a city she never expected to be in.
It was a pleasure to review her CV and cover letter - I hardly had anything to add though. Discussing Oksana’s approach for the interview was really rewarding. I think I was able to help with some of the nuance of interviews in London.
I am glad our conversations were able to be of help and have given Oksana a sense of belonging.
These blogs were written following the Routes’ Blog writing workshop, that takes place for mentors and mentees on the Routes Mentoring Programme. You can find the other pieces by Cat and Oksana in this three-part series here and here.
Want to learn more about the Routes Mentoring Programme? Please refer to our pages on ‘Mentoring with meaning.’ You can also have a look here, at what the Judges of the 2024 Ockenden International Awards of how we work to support the agency, dignity and autonomy of refugee women.
