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.

Mentee Xiaojuan shares her thoughts and reflections on her mentoring journey so far - the new relationship she’s made, the confidence she has built, and the new experiences she’s had as a result.