Migrant Leaders Mentor: Adi Ivanova

"Show me a successful individual and I'll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life... A mentor." - Denzel Washington.

I am honoured to be invited to participate as a mentor in the Migrant Leaders programme, which is an amazing initiative and a unique opportunity for young migrants. From personal experience I know that mentoring has a transformative power and helping young people to achieve their full potential is truly rewarding. "We delight in the beauty of the butterfly", says Maya Angelou, "but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty". As a first-generation migrant I understand the challenges and barriers facing young migrants and can relate to their experiences and fears. My mission as a mentor is to enable my mentees to identify and capitalise on their diverse set of skills and talents; help them build confidence and resilience to effectively navigate through change; and empower them to pursue and realise their career aspirations. Thanks to my professional skills and expertise I can also coach mentees how to nurture the diverse talents in others, successfully work with a wide range of people from different backgrounds and become authentic and inclusive leaders of the future who will pass their learning forward. Let's embrace this journey!”