Case Study: Paying it forward

Tunde Banjoko OBE was the chair of the very first UCL Connect event, which brings together alumni and new graduates. He is so passionate about the value of mentoring he has made it his life’s work.

Tunde Banjoko OBE (Urban Regeneration, 2013) was the chair of the very first UCL Connect event, which brings together alumni and new graduates. He is so passionate about the value of mentoring he has made it his life’s work.

Tunde leads the skills charity Making the Leap, set up to tackle unemployment among ethnic minorities. Since 2008 it has focused on young people and building their confidence and presentation – their ‘soft skills’. “Young people may be very capable, bright and prepared to work hard, but those from a higher socio-economic demographic present themselves better. It’s not about genetics – it’s just about being better prepared.”

This essential truth is one Tunde discovered through his own life, including his experience at UCL. “When I was in my 30s I was going to a lot of meetings with government advisers who were in their 20s, but they’d been to Oxford and Cambridge and were so articulate – and they made me feel insecure. I needed to prove to myself that I had a right be in such august company! When I was at UCL I understood that those people weren’t brighter, they were just better prepared.” 

And as he says to the young people he works with now: “Just because it took me 20 years to get somewhere, doesn’t mean it has to take you that long!” Mentoring, he explains, is a key short cut that young or older people, whether at Making the Leap or at UCL, can take.

Tunde found his own university experience useful, not just for what he learned but also for the network it gave him access to. He passes this knowledge on through public speaking at alumni events such as UCL Connect and at student graduation. “If young people are prepared to work hard they can achieve anything,” he says. “Nowhere is that more relevant than for UCL graduates, who go on to be at the very pinnacle of their professions. I say to them that wherever you are in the world, you can be proud of being part of such a magnificent institution – and it is worth staying in touch. I have friends and colleagues I’ve met through the university. One of my staff, for example, is mentored by a UCL alumnus.”

Mentoring, and being mentored, is similarly something Tunde recommends to everyone. “It’s a really good feeling to help somebody,” he says. “If what you’ve been through can help someone else on their journey then it costs you nothing.”

Alumni wishing to become a mentor need to register for the exclusive UCL Alumni Online Community and complete the 'Willing to Help' section. Once completed, you will appear in the alumni directory allowing students and recent graduates to search for you and request to be mentored.