Tell us about yourself and the challenges you have faced?

My first challenges arose in primary school, where I had very discouraging teachers who did not attempt to understand me or my conditions (ADHD and ASD). This meant that I could not get the support I needed earlier on in my life, creating obstacles later. Secondly, in secondary school, my ADHD and ASD constantly made me overwhelmed and stressed in a classroom environment, making it very challenging to achieve the grades I needed to progress to A levels to study psychology. Finally, before starting mentoring, another challenge I faced was confidence and essential knowledge on how to perfectly structure a UCAS application, for example, being able to effectively show the passion I harboured within me in my application and how to make it concise and captivating for an admissions officer.

How did you find the mentoring sessions?​

In our initial mentoring sessions, we explored my dreams and potential paths. My mentor introduced an insightful activity designed to help me clarify my passion. This process was mind opening and allowed me to understand myself on a much deeper level. During later sessions with my mentor, we dove deep into my university aspirations. He encouraged me to explore various institutions, and asked me to create a detailed table of course content from each university and then rate them. In our final sessions, my mentor helped me to tackle the fear of the unknown regarding university applications. In this process he showed me how to effectively structure a UCAS application.​

Is there anything you will do differently in the future, now that you have had a mentor?​

Mentoring has reshaped my perspective and ignited a deep motivation within me to embrace new opportunities. Through the guidance I received, I now feel empowered to pursue work placements that not only align with my interests but also allow me to put the knowledge I've acquired into practice. This experience has not only helped me secure positions but has also encouraged me to become the most efficient worker I can be. I’ve learned to be proactive, ask questions, and seek clarity, all of which have significantly enhanced my confidence and effectiveness in any role I take on.​

What 3 words would you use to describe the programme to someone considering taking part?​

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I would recommend One Million Mentors 1 million times to others thinking about doing the programme. If I had 3 words to describe the programme it would be; “life changing advice”.