Volunteer Mentoring (8-17 Years Old)

Volunteer Mentoring for 8-17 year olds (West Mercia). YSS runs 4 discreet mentoring programmers for young people aged 8-17 years of age who are considered at risk of being involved with anti-social or criminal behaviour. The programmes are offered on a voluntary basis to the young people. There is no requirement for them to partake. The mentoring forms part of a structured plan that they help develop with a key worker. Often the mentoring part of the plan aims to ensure young people have wider experiences of life and are tailored to meet their specific needs. The volunteer mentor will normally meet with the young person weekly for the duration of the plan which is normally up to 4 months.

The 4 programmes at present are in partnership with the Worcestershire YISP (Youth Inclusion and Support Programme), the Worcestershire Prevent & Deter project, the Herefordshire Children's Fund Programme and the YSS Shropshire YISP. The newest development is the Shropshire YISP mentoring project for which YSS also runs the main project and is described in more detail under the service area for Children, Young People and Families.

What is Mentoring?

Mentoring is a one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship in which an individual voluntarily gives time to support and encourage another. A mentor is someone who....

•  Champions, supports and motivates; and through their action and work helps     people to achieve their potential

•  A mentor is also someone who facilitates learning, growth and development in     that young person

In these projects the mentor will....

•  Meet with a person on a regular basis to support, befriend and act as a positive     role model
•  Help motivate young people to make positive changes in their lives
•  Help young people to access relevant community resources such as advice     centres, leisure facilities, libraries etc
•  Undertake specific support roles such as job search skills, CV writing,     attendance at school/college courses etc
•  Work at all times within the context of relevant operational policies including     confidentiality, health and safety and child protection
•  Attend case meetings,undertake ongoing training and supervision as required

Mentors must be able to demonstrate..

•  Reliability and commitment
•  A non-judgemental approach
•  Effective listening and communication skills
•  Commitment to addressing the needs of people
•  Confidence & the ability to deal with challenging situations
•  They are over 18 and available for at least 2-3 hours per week