Asligul Kokden, then a 14 year old, Year 10 student from Haggerston School, joined the Hackney Schools’ Mentoring Programme in 2001. Some nine years later, at the age of 23, Asligul remains in close and frequent contact with her mentor Alicia Weston, Associate Director at the Australian based banking firm Macquarie Group. “None of my friends, particularly those who also took part in the mentoring programme, can believe that we are still in contact after all these years” notes Asligul. Their close bond is perhaps partly explained by their similar career interests; after completing a Business Management degree, Asligul has followed in Alicia’s banking footsteps and successfully found herself a position working as a Cashier at a branch of Barclays Bank. Alicia recalls “I still have the original letter that I received from a 14 year old Asligul spelling out her banking aspirations and dream to work her way up to Bank Manager level”. Gaining a Bank Manager title remains Asligul’s ambition, but now her goal seems very much in sight.

As much as Asligul has gained from mentoring, Alicia is quick to point out that it is not a one way street, “You get out what you put in. Mentoring has kept me young and in touch with the next generation.”