When Joel first met Alaa, he was nervous. The moment could go either way. Alaa was polite, a little distant, unsure of what this new relationship might mean. They were strangers standing at the edge of something that neither of them could quite define yet.

Over time, that distance softened. Joel approached the mentorship with openness. He looked for familiar ground, a shared love for art and photography, the small details that connect people beyond background or language. “It’s natural for me to find familial ground,” he said, “even when our worlds are completely different.”

For Alaa, this effort was everything. He had arrived feeling uncertain, especially about his English. “There have been more than a million ways Joel has made me feel supported,” he said, smiling. “He helped me speak with confidence. He gave me advice for my photography business, even helped me get my driver’s licence. He’s like my ChatGPT.”

Their meetings didn’t always have an agenda. Sometimes they just talked. Sometimes they practiced English. Sometimes they stood quietly looking at art. In these moments, trust built itself, not through structured sessions, but through the slow rhythm of companionship.

Joel wanted to help Alaa find confidence in social spaces, starting with small goals at the market where they first met. From there, Alaa began shaping bigger dreams. Together they worked on his photography, creating a website, printing business cards, building an identity behind the lens. “He always tells me, ‘just do it,’” Alaa said. “When I use the camera, I feel nervous, but he makes me trust myself.”

Progress wasn’t always easy. Communication could be challenging, and Joel sometimes found it hard to read Alaa’s quietness. But even in silence, there was depth. “He’s very profound,” Joel said. “It took time to understand him, but his positivity always shines through.”

One day they visited Tate Modern. It became a defining memory for both. Alaa, still new to London, took a wrong turn and waited at the station for two hours. Joel found him, patient as ever, and together they finally reached the museum. They stood among the colours and textures of the artwork, their shared love of creativity sealing a bond that neither had expected. “That moment will stay with me,” Joel said. “It solidified our connection.”

Alaa remembers it vividly too. “I always wonder why mentors give their time to us,” he said. “What do they gain? They help young people more than you can imagine. Someone holds your hand and walks with you through your journey.”

For Joel, the answer is simple. Mentoring Alaa has been grounding. “It’s given me perspective,” he said. “Watching him step out of his comfort zone inspires me to do the same.”

Now, Alaa runs his own photography business. He speaks with ease, laughs more readily, and dreams about starting a podcast one day. “My life would be so different without Joel,” he said. “He’s more than a friend, he’s my big brother.”

The programme may have an end date, but their connection does not. They plan to stay in touch, to keep sharing art, ideas, and life updates. Some mentorships start as structured support. This one became something simpler and truer, a friendship that continues to grow, frame by frame.

Learning in colour: Joel and Alaa’s Mentorship Journey