You've got a friend in me: Gobika & Molly discuss mentoring

Gobika and Molly discuss the benefits of mentoring whether you’re mentor or mentee.

Gobika (left) and Molly at Maltby St Market, where Gobika was Market Stall Manager

Gobika says:

“It is lovely to have someone who asks how I am feeling.”

“Joining Breadwinners and meeting Molly helped me get the job I have today. 

Since December, I’ve been working at a bakery supplier overseeing shop orders for the delivery of goods around London. It can be challenging but I have learnt so much already. I’m also studying English part-time and GCSE Maths.  

Before I took on this job, I managed a bread stall at Maltby Street Market every Saturday for about three months

Molly would meet me at the stall and help serve customers. It was often busy, but we had fun. Molly is an engineer, but we joked that I could never teach her to assess the right bag size when handing over the goods to the customers. She was always grabbing a bag that was too small and trying to squeeze the bread into it!  

During breaks and between serving customers, we’d chat about anything and everything. I’ve lived in London for three years, but before I was introduced to Molly, I didn’t really know many English people very well. I arrived in London without any family so it was reassuring to meet someone who could help me understand the city and way of life here. Molly taught me practical things, like how to shop online. Also, as we have got to know each other, it is lovely to be able to share my problems with Molly and to have someone who asks how I am feeling.  

When we first met, I was studying to be a pharmacist and Molly helped me get books for my studies. And when we both agreed that we didn’t like the idea of taking the tube during a pandemic, she offered to give me cycling tips. We spent an afternoon cycling around Hampstead Heath so that I could get used to the roads and Molly taught me how it is important to lock up my bike. This gave me the confidence to cycle anywhere in London!  

Molly is so friendly and positive; if I ever feel low, she is always really encouraging and makes me feel better. I’m a big fan of the Marvel films so I introduced them to her, and now she is a bit of a fan too!  

It is hard to find a job without any experience so joining Breadwinners was really helpful. But it was more than that, it gave me the chance to meet people and feel part of a community.”

Gobika on the stall at Maltby St Market

Molly says:

“Mentoring taught me discipline.. and gave me a routine during lockdown.”

“I would definitely recommend mentoring, if you have time to commit. You don’t know where it will take you or who you are a going to meet - and that’s the joy! 

I’d mistakenly assumed that you had to be a high-flyer and at the top of your profession to become a mentor. But anyone can sign up, as long as you are friendly and committed. 

A friend works at Breadwinners and always talks about her job so passionately, but it was during Lockdown last summer, while we were on a socially distanced walk, that I decided to give mentoring a go.  After a short training programme, during which you learn the ethos of Breadwinners and Do’s and Don’ts of mentoring, I was introduced to Gobika. 

Gobika is extremely motivated and upbeat. Although we are still getting to know each other, we have a definite connection. We used to meet at the bread stall every Saturday and I was in awe of her ability to multi-task and upsell. She was always smiling and charming the customers, who would usually walk away from the stall having bought an extra slice of the £8 cake – spending much more than they’d originally intended! We bonded over a mutual love of photography and she got me into the Marvel films. Over Zoom calls during the week, I’d encourage her to apply for jobs, talk her through job applications and how to write her CV. Now that she has started working full time we don’t meet up as regularly, but we check in with each other via WhatsApp.  Mentoring taught me discipline, as it is important to turn up when you’ve agreed to do so. It also helped give me a routine during Lockdown. I also probably now know much more about the Marvel franchise than I will admit! 

There’s no end to a mentoring stint. I know Gobika would love to go to university one day, and this will probably mean that she will have to leave London. But I will always be there for her.”

Thank you so much to Molly and Gobika for this interview and for volunteer Siân for conducting the interviews and writing this up.