This year, ALETO Foundation’s flagship leadership programme held its meet your mentor event at Microsoft’s swanky offices at 2 Kingdom Street, London. As I walked from Paddington station, I wondered. What would make today a success? If I came away with good contacts? If I knew my favourite team? If I felt fully equipped to make the most of the programme? On all of these grounds, I lost the battle. I made friends, not contacts. I was blown away by the terrific choice of teams, and took several days to make my choice. I realised I had work to do before I could make the best of the programme. I had to decide what I wanted out of it. I had to research the mentors and buddies further. I even had to research myself. What were my true strengths? Development areas? Where could I serve my fellow delegates? How could they help me? I had many questions, but very few answers. The evening opened with a session of nibbles and networking, where I met
some of my fellow delegates, doing amazing things across a range of fields. We were welcomed by Paul Morrison, who works in Microsoft’s Education Industry Solutions. He’s also a member of the Prime Minister’s Multicultural Professional Networks Forum, and founder of I Dare 2 Inspire, a social enterprise empowering 14–23-year-olds from BAME and socially and economically deprived backgrounds. We were also welcomed by Toyah Panton, who also works for Microsoft, and a buddy to Team E. We were then presented with the teams, as follows: TEAM A: Ayo Gabriel and Claud Williams with Chenelle Lamptey TEAM L: Akintunde Bello with Elizabeth Abiade and Renell Harding TEAM E: Charles Sekwalor with Toyah Panton and Eniola Edusi TEAM T: Cedi Frederick and Ernest Museka with James Harriette and Janet Siwoku TEAM O: Dr Jebet Beverly Cheserem with Jemima Kola-Abodunde TEAM F: Kevin Lendor and Rosemary Russell with Itunu Abolarinwa