Referring a young person for volunteer mentoring
Referring young people aged 7-11
Young people aged 7–11 are referred either directly by their primary school or via the Primary Inclusion Panels, which represent schools across Bath & North East Somerset.
If you'd like a child in this age group to be considered for volunteer mentoring in the future, please speak to their school's headteacher or SENCO.
Want to learn more about mentoring for 7–11 year olds?
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about our primary mentoring programme and its impact, please contact our Primary Mentoring Manager, Humphrey Pain, at humphrey.pain@mentoringplus.net or call 01225 429 694
Referring young people aged 11-21 (up to 25 with SEND diagnosis)
Young people aged 11–21 (or up to 25 with a SEND diagnosis) can be referred by a professional, parent/carer, or by the young person themselves.
We open referrals at set times throughout the year and do not operate a waiting list.
To be notified when referrals open: contact Senior Practitioner, Lou Welch, at lou.welch@mentoringplus.net
Want to learn more about mentoring for 11-25 year olds?
To explore whether our volunteer mentoring is a good fit, please get in touch, and we can discuss our criteria with you. You can also read our referral checklist (below) to find out if your young person is eligible.
Important information: Referring a young person aged 11-25
To maximise fairness and access for everyone, your application to refer will just include basic contact details and confirmation that the young person seeking mentoring meets all of our criteria.
It will then be included in a blind ballot. The first applicants drawn at random will be contacted to seek more information and qualifying candidates will be invited to make a full referral.
We limit schools to a maximum of 3 applications each, and other organisations to 2 applications each, to help ensure fairness. The first applications received will be added to the ballot, so we ask referrers to communicate within their organisations to decide internally who they wish to refer.
If you are thinking about referring a young person please read our referral checklist to ensure volunteer mentoring is an appropriate service for them.
Frequently asked referral questions
What should I do now
If you are a professional supporting a young person who might benefit, please chat to them and their family about a potential future application for volunteer mentoring and ensure this is something they would all like to do.
When applications open, professionals email refer@mentoringplus.net with name, contact details, organisation, and young person's initials, date of birth, school year, postcode, and gender — confirming they have completed the referral checklist. Families and young people self-refer via the same email, confirming consent and checklist completion. Support is available by phone during application periods.
When will referrals for volunteer mentoring be accepted
We are not currently open for new applications to refer young people aged 11 to 21 for out-of-school mentoring. We aim to open regularly and will notify those on the mailing list of upcoming opening dates. Contact lou.welch@mentoringplus.net to be added to the referral list.
What about 7-11 year olds
Our primary mentees are referred directly by the Behaviour & Attendance Panels which represent primary schools in Bath and Norton Radstock. For a 7-11 year old to be considered for volunteer mentoring in future, please speak with the child's school headteacher.
Can I refer a young person up to age 25
Yes. When applications are open we accept referrals for young adults aged 21-25 who meet our criteria, have an early help need, and have a confirmed clinical diagnosis of SEND.
How many 11-21 year olds benefit from a volunteer mentor
Our total caseload in this age group is 30 at any one time. We usually open to applications to refer when we have 6–10 new places available.
How does the referral process work for 11-21 year olds
Applications are accepted by email for one week. We then randomly select the relevant number of young people in a blind ballot, supervised by an external professional for fairness. Selected applicants are contacted for initial assessment; qualifying candidates make full referrals. If full referrals are not returned on time or young people do not meet criteria, additional candidates are selected from the original applications through the same process until places are filled.
What are the referral criteria for volunteer mentoring
Young people must live within Bath & NE Somerset, be able to benefit from a talking-based intervention, be actively interested in being mentored, commit to weekly community meetings (1-2 hours) for up to a year, have parent/carer consent if under 18, and consent to information sharing with agencies.
They must also meet at least two of the following: in or leaving care; disengaged from education or at risk of exclusion; NEET; facing out-of-school difficulties such as family breakdown, health issues, or care responsibilities; emotional wellbeing difficulties including isolation, anxiety, low mood, risky behaviours or bullying; or displaying early signs of anti-social behaviour.
How is mentoring affected by Covid-19
Remote mentoring is offered if restrictions prevent face-to-face contact. Young people should be willing to maintain weekly online or phone contact with mentors, subject to safety rules and family consent. Cases with significant health vulnerabilities are assessed individually regarding face-to-face feasibility.
Can I refer a young person who has an EHCP
This service is part-funded by a local authority commission. Young people with EHCPs may access mentoring faster through an EHCP-funded mentoring service. Contact helen.goodchild@mentoringplus.net to discuss this option.
Why do we use a ballot process to select young people for referral
Because we have only limited capacity and we know demand for mentoring is very high, we have to find a way to choose young people as fairly as possible. Feedback indicates the ballot process is fair and accessible for all referrers, including families.
Why not give places to young people based on the highest levels of need
As an early help service, mentoring benefits young people who are showing signs of difficulties but are not yet at the point of crisis. Young people work with trained volunteers rather than professionals, so safe matching is essential. Professional mentoring serves those with higher or more complex needs.
What if a school sends in dozens of applications - won't that increase their chances of success
Schools are limited to a maximum of 3 applications; other organisations to 2. Each application relates to just one young person, so each individual has the same chance of being selected in the ballot. Organisations should coordinate internally to decide who to refer.
How does this referral process help ensure equal opportunity to access mentoring for all sections of our community
As long as we receive an application, there is an equal chance for that young person to be selected in the ballot. The organisation has supported a greater proportion of BAME young people than represented in the community, works to include those with disabilities where feasible, and actively encourages referrals for girls who are historically under-referred.
When will the application window open next
All being well, we hope to open for applications to refer regularly in future. More frequent openings will mean smaller cohorts accepted, enabling shorter wait times to matching.
If my application is not successful, can I stay on a waiting list
There is no waiting list. Applications not selected are securely deleted. We clearly communicate outcomes to all applicants, suggest alternative services, and invite reapplication. Referrers remain on the mailing list unless they unsubscribe.