Elif & Raperin were paired as Mentor and Mentee on our April - August 2022 cohort. Together they worked on Raperin’s goals, both learning and growing through the process. In these two short pieces, Elif & Raperin reflect on their journeys and what they have learnt from each other along the way.
Mentor, Elif
I joined the Routes Mentoring Programme to improve and practise my mentoring skills and to support another woman who we might share common challenges in a new country.
I would like to say, the programme was designed by the Routes team very professionally from training to delivery. Even if you do not have any mentoring experience before, but you have a passion for it, the programme prepares you for the mentoring process very smoothly with trainings and individual support when needed. I believe skills we have gained during the programme are very crucial both for your personal and professional development. So, if anyone would like to try mentoring and not sure where to start, Routes Mentoring Programme provides a safe space for you to learn and grow.
Becoming a mentor of the Routes Mentoring Programme has been the most rewarding thing I have done in the last year. It was a pure joy to meet with Raperin and be able to accompany her in her journey. Raperin is a very strong woman with a lot of passion and resilience. She wants to understand the non-profit sector in the UK and continue developing a career here as she has a lot of work experience already.
Her struggles of trying to pursue a career in a new country reminded me of my own struggles when first I moved to the UK. After our long conversations I discovered that we have a lot in common, as women we are going through very similar challenges in this male-dominated capitalist world, and we can challenge perspectives collectively by supporting each other.
We have structured our meetings according to Raperin’ s goals and needs but we never missed any chance to get to know each other better and have fun together during the process. Being a part of Raperin’ s journey inspired me a lot and gave me a chance to reflect on my own journey as well. Raperin is a true source of inspiration not only for her daughters but also for the women in her community.
Mentee, Raperin
I was referred by a colleague to Routes being a newcomer to the UK. I was not sure how beneficial this would be for me but was open to try. The introduction meeting motivated me as the general friendly atmosphere was really present and encouraging. My goal from this program was to get to know the work system in the UK, diminish my fears, and restore my confidence.
In the first meeting with my mentor I was expecting a question-answer atmosphere, but no it was a simple meeting just getting to know each other. I must be honest I was not convinced that this could lead to somewhere, but because I’m not the kind of person who would pull back from a commitment I just decided to continue. THANKFULLY, I made just the right decision as later after meeting once every week, we started to really know each other, we discussed our deep concerns and thoughts, we laughed, we met in person and it became my favorite hour of the week.
Elif was genuinely involved in our conversations and discussions, she was honest and kind, and she shared her experiences and thoughts just like I did. She never missed a chance saying how much she is learning from me like I learn from her, she is very much like a kind, smart and caring friend.
She helped to understand the work system in the UK, the knowledge and experience she shared made me look into things from a totally different angle. We defined together our strengths and weaknesses on both professional and personal level, I discovered skills that I would never believe I have.
Now that the programme has just reached the end I have a much clearer vision of how to reach my goal with no fears, more confidence and a trustworthy, out of the blue friend who I can always seek advice from.
Written and published August 2022
Following the passing of the Rwanda Bill, here are some actions you can take to show your opposition, and stand with refugee rights. Use your influence in petitions, your workplace, direct support, and more.
Mentor Joana and mentee Nanou write together about their experience on the Routes Mentoring Programme, which they describe as 'More than a mentoring programme, it is a human journey celebrating women!’. In this blog, you’ll learn more about what they’ve worked on together, and what they’ve learned along the way.
Time to celebrate! Photos and poem from the Celebration Event for our 11th Mentoring Programme.
For the International Day for Women and Girls in Science, Routes Alumni mentor Nushrat Khan reflects on transferrable skills from mentoring and her work in global health.
In this blog, Routes Project Development Manager Roula Kheder writes about the first findings of our Routes to Employment project.
Reflection suggestions from Routes for the final days of 2023. Plus a kind invitation to tune into your advocacy power.
A poem by Routes, on the current events in Palestine, Israel and the surrounding regions.
Fakhria Joya, mentee on the 10th Routes Mentoring Programme, talks about her journey to the UK, her experience with mentoring and the importance of education.
Highlights from our 10th Mentoring Programme, by Routes Mentoring Programme Tamana Safi.
A statement on the passing of the recent Anti Refugee Bill by Routes Founding Director Leyla McLennan
Key take-aways from our panel event ‘What is the role of workplaces to create welcome for people seeking safety?’, marking World Refugee Day 2023.
From the time I remember, I have always wanted to be an architect. I have always been attracted to art, design, and drawing. I arrived in the UK in 2010 and got my bachelor’s degree in 2014 in Business of Arts…
Starting with our fifth cohort back in 2021, our Head of Programmes Wieke has written poems to celebrate the end of the journeys of each graduating cohort of mentors and mentees.
It is an early September evening and the dark is settling in earlier than it has for the past few months. As it does, a dozen people gather in the Broadgate offices of UBS, dressed ready for a celebration…
We celebrated the end of our 8th cohort’s mentoring journeys at the end of August, bringing together mentors and mentees in person (and online, for those who couldn’t join us!) to reflect, share and celebrate their mentoring. Routes Mentoring Programme Manager, Wieke Vink, wrote and shared this poem for the cohort, to mark the end of their journeys…
“One of the joys of the Routes programme has been getting to know a diverse group of women who share a common set of goals: to embrace community, to lift one another up and to leave no-one behind.”
Ishmatu and Ellie were paired on our April - August 2022 cohort. Together they worked on Ishmatu’s goals. In this piece, Ishmatu speaks about her growth in confidence.
Ellie and Ishmatu were paired on our April - August 2022 cohort. Ellie works as Senior Campaigns Manager at Nesta. In this piece, she shares her thoughts on mentoring, and how to support someone else to find their confidence.
Migerjana & Tiffany were paired as Mentor and Mentee on our April - August 2022 cohort. In this blog, they explain why being a mother won’t hinder your ability to join the Routes programme. And Migerjana shares her top tips on how to juggle motherhood and being a mentee.
“I discovered that we have a lot in common, as women we are going through very similar challenges in this male-dominated capitalist world, and we can challenge perspectives collectively by supporting each other.”
Having studied law in Albania, mentee Florida is faced with the challenge of learning a whole new legal system. Emily is an associate at Milbank LLP. She joined the mentoring programme to support someone else, whilst learning and developing in her own right.
Reflections from mentor Dee, Product Manager at Investec, who mentored on our 9th Mentoring Programme.