Volunteer Mentor - Care Leavers

Every year, a large number of young people leave the care system in Greenwich Borough and far too many are not prepared for life after care or are not in education, employment or training. Grandmentors Greenwich is seeking volunteers across the borough willing to empower and support young people (aged 16 -24) transitioning from the care system to independent living. You must be committed to meeting (online or face-to-face) a young person for 1-2 hours per week for at least 6 months. 

Typical duties of our mentors

• Improve life skills, self-esteem and confidence.
• Provide advice on managing emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Signpost to public services that offer housing, legal and financial assistance.
• Help a mentee set goals concerning education, employment or training.
• Offer guidance on building positive relationships and avoiding negative influences. 
• Assist with language development for Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children.

What is in it for you?

The joy of working with young people is unique, they bring their own life experiences, needs and expectations. This makes the role of a Grandmentor highly rewarding, but never boring. This role is beneficial and gratifying to someone passionate about helping vulnerable young people transform their lives for the better. In addition, anyone looking to enter or re-enter youth work as a paid worker, but lacks the necessary expertise and needs a refresher training. We provide mentors with full training and guidance, and all expenses incurred during active mentoring will be paid.

Skills required

Basic IT and communication skills are needed to communicate with mentees, staff and other mentors, and to use our system to record outcomes after each mentoring session with a young person. You must be open-minded, empathetic, patient and helpful to establish a beneficial relationship.