Primrose, Elevate mentor

Primrose, a Team Secretary at the Bank of England, volunteered for the Elevate mentoring programme less than a year after joining the Bank. With an "open mindset" to embrace new opportunities, she was drawn to the programme because of her previous teaching experience and the rewarding feeling of making a positive difference in a young person's development.

"I wish I'd had this kind of mentoring when I was 17. Seeing my mentee transform from our first meeting to confidently tackling the mock interview was incredibly rewarding – it's amazing how a few hours of your time can help shape someone's future."

Primrose, Elevate Mentor

Outcomes

The programme provided Primrose with valuable professional development by placing her on "the other side" of the interview table for the first time. She gained practical insights into recruitment processes and scoring methods that will benefit her future career.

Primrose witnessed remarkable growth in her mentee's confidence throughout their sessions. She was particularly impressed by her mentee's clear career vision combined with an openness to accepting guidance – a maturity that Primrose reflected she hadn't possessed at the same age.

The culmination of their work together came during the mock interview, where Primrose felt a powerful sense of accomplishment seeing her mentee apply all they had discussed with impressive poise and preparation.

Lasting Legacy

For Primrose, the Elevate programme rekindled the sense of purpose she had experienced as a teacher. What began as a volunteer opportunity became a meaningful journey that enriched both her professional skillset and personal fulfillment.

The structured yet flexible approach allowed her to create engaging, personalised sessions that built upon each other, creating a comprehensive development path for her mentee. Overall, this experience has reinforced Primrose's belief in the power of one-to-one mentoring to transform confidence and career readiness.