The Mentorship Programme

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Aspiration, Contribution, Confidence, Learning, People and Support, Communicating  

Physical and mental well being, Behaviour, Punctuality, Attendance and Attainment, Independence and Outlook, Role models and Peer mentors

Engagement begins with an initial meeting between the mentor and mentee to create a mutual working agreement, this is called the “personal journey”. This is the first step to begin to understand the child, their strengths and interests and the barriers they face; so that we are equipped to foresee any problems and avoid future relationship breakdown. We mutually agree what a good mentor looks like to them (e.g. listens well and doesn’t judge) what a good mentee looks like to us (honesty and commitment) so that we can work as a team and shape a relationship that works for both parties.

The key to personal development in young people is Self-Belief, and developing this is my focus.

What core abilities help young people gain this self-belief, a sense that they can navigate their own lives? What role do mentors play in this developmental process?

CURIOSITY is the ability to seek and acquire new knowledge, skills, and ways of understanding the world. It is at the heart of what motivates young people to learn and what keeps them learning throughout their lives. Mentors nurture curiosity when they encourage youth to identify and seek answers to questions that pique their interests. When they help youth recognise failure as an opportunity for exploration, mentors encourage experimentation and new discovery. Supportive adults help youth understand the tenets of engaged learning when they recognize the different ways youth explore. When mentors show young people how parts connect and influence the whole of society, youth discover that curiosity improves relationships, fuels innovation, and drives social change.

SOCIABILITY is the joyful, cooperative ability to engage with others. It is derived from a collection of social-emotional skills that help youth understand and express feelings and behaviours in ways that facilitate positive relationships. These behaviours include active listening, self-regulation and effective communication. Mentors improve young people’s sociability when they help youth understand that the words they choose make a difference to the relationships they create. When mentors help youth see that every social interaction is tied to an emotional reaction, young people learn to avoid impulsive behaviour and think through difficult situations before acting.

RESILIENCE is the ability to meet and overcome challenges in ways that maintain or promote well-being. It incorporates attributes like grit, persistence, initiative, and determination. Mentors build resilience when they gently push young people to the edges of their intellectual, emotional, social, and physical comfort zones. When mentors support and encourage youth as they take risks, face obstacles, and grow from failure, young people learn how to bounce back from life’s ups and downs.

SELF-AWARENESS is the ability to examine and understand who we are relative to the world around us. It is developed through skills like self-reflection, meaning-making, and the process of honing core values and beliefs. Self-awareness impacts young people’s capacity to see themselves as uniquely different from other people. Mentors stimulate self-awareness when they engage youth in reflective conversations about values, beliefs, attitudes, and moral dilemmas. When mentors encourage youth to understand and attend to their intellectual, emotional, social, and physical selves, they help young people understand the value of their full human potential.

INTEGRITY is the ability to act in ways that are consistent with the values, beliefs, and moral principles we claim to hold. It’s about doing the right thing, even when no one is watching; and about courage, honesty, and respect in one’s daily interactions. Mentors help shape integrity by treating young people with respect and dignity, and listening to their feelings and concerns without judgment. When mentors praise youth for demonstrating their values, beliefs, and principles through actions, young people are reminded of their value as ethical human beings, beyond external achievements like grades or test scores.

RESOURCEFULNESS is the ability to find and use available resources to achieve goals, problem solve, and shape the future. It draws on skills like planning, goal setting, strategic thinking, and organizing. Mentors help young people become resourceful by challenging them to set high expectations for themselves, and then supporting youth as they seek to accomplish their goals. When mentors encourage young people to be flexible and strategic, youth become adaptable problem-solvers and learn to live without rigid rules or preconceived ideas.

When supportive adults quietly attend to the development of these core abilities, the results are transformative for young people. Adolescents emerge as young adults ready to chart their own paths through life. 

BA, MSc, Advanced DBS Checked, Level Three Safeguarding, First Aid