Becoming a Volunteer Mentor

Why did you become a Volunteer Mentor?

Before volunteering with Mentoring Plus, I volunteered with young people from challenging backgrounds when I lived abroad. I grew up on a tough estate, and I wanted to give something back. It was really fulfilling and rewarding. Then, as a parent, I feel like an element of parenting is mentoring, and when you've gone through the cycle with your own children, I thought why stop there, when you can help others.

So, when I saw a Mentoring Plus advert in Boston Tea Party calling for volunteers, I thought what the heck, I'll give it a go.

What was it like getting started with Mentoring Plus?

After getting in touch, the team reached out and they invited me to a training session. I attended the two day session, and I was really impressed. It was well organised, comprehensive and I felt prepared for the task ahead.

My first session was with one of the Mentoring Plus practitioners and my young mentee. We were both a bit nervous, but not for very long, and by the end of the session we had hit it off pretty well.

What did your mentoring sessions involve?

I would pick him up from school in the morning on a Tuesday, and we would go off and do various activities, ranging from playing football and going to playgrounds, to visiting stables and seeing the horses. We always ended our sessions with coffee and cake.

Did you encounter any challenges along the way?

The year I started was the year of Covid. So we had just started when we were interrupted. I was sending him videos, just silly ones, saying this won't go on forever, we'll be back doing fun things before you know it.

The difficult thing is when you have to say goodbye at the end. I felt like I was letting him down. So, I always made sure I was there on time, consistently. I didn't want him to think I would be unreliable.

You're now mentoring for a second time, what's it been like?

I understand my current mentee is having a more challenging time. I did know that he was worried about starting secondary school. So, with support from his Mentoring Plus Practitioner, I took him for a look around his new school. I felt very privileged and proud to be there with him.

What would you say to someone thinking of becoming a Volunteer Mentor?

I think it's something everyone should do - it's very important. It's a commitment, but it's a lot of fun. You do things you would never normally do. Mentoring Plus gives you all the training and support you need.

We are recruiting kind and empathetic adults to join us and become Volunteer Mentors. Visit: Become a Mentor or contact our Volunteer Coordinator: volunteering@mentoringplus.net