In April, we launched the fourth cycle of our Mentoring Programme, connecting professional women in London with women from refugee and asylum seeking backgrounds. For this interview series, we ask alumni about their experiences and where they are now. In this blog post we hear the story of former mentee Yasmin, who was part of the 2019/20 cohort. Yasmin volunteers for the Happy Baby Community and started a part-time bachelor’s degree when her son was just six months old.
Yasmin: ‘Looking at my mentor really inspired me. I was thinking to myself: if she can do it, I can do it.’
Why did you join the Routes Mentoring Programme?
‘I wanted to learn how to present myself professionally. How to talk, deliver an idea, be more precise. With my mentor Sabrina [from Accenture, the consulting company] we were working on building my communication skills.’
What did you learn on the Programme?
‘I am more comfortable now when I present myself. Even personally - in life in general. Sabrina gave feedback on a presentation I made for university. Together, we also went to a training event called the Big Speeches [by actor Jessica Regan and the Guilty Feminist], which was a bit scary at first, but great in the end. Sabrina is young like me and in that good position at Accenture. That gave me real confidence, that one day I will also be able to work at a multinational company.’
How do you look back at your time together?
‘The Mentoring Programme helped me a lot. There were things I wanted to learn, but also other things I learned through the journey. Routes did an amazing job with the matching. At the graduation ceremony, you could really see: every mentor and mentee seemed like sisters or that they relate. It is great that this exists for people who have been through a lot. It is something I will carry with me in my life.’
What is your favourite memory of the programme?
‘The first day we met. Sabina was very organised. I liked that. We had a set of schedules for what to do each session. We enjoyed each other’s company and learned from each other. The Programme gave me a big push. It is a space to talk about things that you wouldn’t talk about with others in a normal day. That means a lot.’
What makes Sabrina a good mentor?
‘Sabrina is well-organized and honest: if she doesn’t know something, she will say so. We had transparency in exchanging experiences. I like that. Sabrina also came to support us at Happy Baby Community, where I am helping with finances as a board member. Sabrina carried out a workshop for us, to work on our mission and vision. The outcomes were very useful for our first Annual Report.’
In May, it was Mental Health Awareness Week, with ‘kindness’ as its theme. Do you have a memory of kindness that you would like to share?
‘During quarantine, I am doing social calls for Happy Baby Community for other mums, who only speak Arabic. I call them every week and ask them if they need something for their babies or if they have any questions. I also help to translate when they go to the pharmacy or the GP. Many of these women have very young babies and are in temporary accommodation. It is difficult for them to know what is going on. Happy Baby Community is also calling us as volunteers to ask how we are doing, which is really nice.’
How do you keep going during lockdown?
‘Especially at the beginning of lockdown, I felt under pressure. I was thinking “I don’t know how to do this”. I was studying and having exams, along with everything else. But I have to stay strong for myself and my son. I think, “What if it stays like this for the next couple of months?” That helps me to adapt to the situation. I did fasting during Ramadan and I do meditation and work-outs at home. Helping other people also gives me joy. You can make a difference and see results. That is like a box with little gifts of joy.’
