I first heard about Drive Forward having attended an event where Malala Yousafzi and Sheryl Sandberg were discussing ‘Facing Adversity, Building Resilience and Finding Joy’. Sheryl mentioned that she had visited an inspirational charity earlier in the day (Drive Forward) and met the fantastic young adults they work with, some of whom were in the audience. Moved by what I heard, and at a point in my life where I felt I might have some experience that could be useful, I was spurred into action! Mentoring was something I had been considering for a while, though I had previously found it hard to decide which organisation to choose. This was no longer an issue.
Two years down the line, I have LOVED every minute. My Mentee is a remarkable individual and hugely talented; in the time we’ve been paired together he’s attended interviews, secured a permanent role, and delivered a number of successful projects. We have very similar interests and, when we haven’t needed to look at CVs or to practise interview techniques, we have widely varied what we do together. He has immaculate taste in all forms of fashion, and will often lead me around homeware shops dispensing much needed style advice! Pre-lock down we’ve gone to gallery shows, the theatre, gigs and lectures – some of which we’ve found quite thought-provoking when we’ve discussed these later on. It was great fun to head out to dinner with another Mentor/Mentee one evening too. We’re always keeping an ear out for anything good coming up, whether a jumble sale or a talk and, in these times of lockdown, are now sharing ideas on books to read, or working out how to keep our house plants alive – with varied success on my part…
My mentor has taught me to always try my best and not to be worried about over-selling myself. I realised that I loved being the change I wanted to see. My shyness melted away and I have confidence in voicing my beliefs. Communicating with others became a passion. Through the mentoring experience, I have become more confident in myself, and the best part is I have forged a valuable relationship with my mentor that I will always cherish.
Around us is a whole support network, which started with the thoughtfulness applied to how we were matched together, and has continued from then on. There’s always been someone around I can talk to if I’ve had any questions. We’ve attended many enjoyable events throughout the year, providing a brilliant opportunity to socialise with other Mentees and Mentors – a chance to swap ideas of what to do together and tips we can learn from each other. I thought the book club was super too, exploring the different interpretations and themes of Malorie Blackman’s Nought’s & Crosses. I left with a deeper understanding of what I’d read, thanks to the thoughts shared largely by the young adults, and I hope we have another one soon.
Around us is a whole support network, which started with the thoughtfulness applied to how we were matched together, and has continued from then on. There’s always been someone around I can talk to if I’ve had any questions. We’ve attended many enjoyable events throughout the year, providing a brilliant opportunity to socialise with other Mentees and Mentors – a chance to swap ideas of what to do together and tips we can learn from each other. I thought the book club was super too, exploring the different interpretations and themes of Malorie Blackman’s Nought’s & Crosses. I left with a deeper understanding of what I’d read, thanks to the thoughts shared largely by the young adults, and I hope we have another one soon.
Lulu Burrough
Senior Manager at T. Rowe Price & Drive Forward Mentor
