Wondering whether mentoring is right for you? Join our 12-week programme.
Break’s mentors act as positive role models, developing relationships with young people cared for by Break to give them support and encouragement as they step towards adulthood and beyond.
The young people in Break’s care face many challenges, amongst others, they might struggle to budget, find it difficult to build relationships, be held back by low self-esteem or face barriers when finding work. Helping them through these challenges can be one of the most rewarding things you will ever do.
The team offers training and full support so you feel confident in your role as a mentor while your mentee navigates life’s twists and turns.
This year, we are running two 12-week programmes to inspire more men to enter our mentoring service starting on 15 June and in September (date tbc) across Norfolk. Expect bowling sessions, ultimate frisby, climbing and other activities as you get to know some of the young people supported by Break better.
If, after the 12-week programme, you feel like it is something you might like to continue, the Break team will match you with a mentee and support them as a mentor longer term. The team offers training and full support so you feel confident in your role as a mentor while your mentee navigates life’s twists and turns.
Nick is one of the 29 mentors who currently works with a Break mentee:
“I’m very conscious that I’ve been lucky in life, and I was looking for a way of helping those who hadn’t been so fortunate. The mentor scheme appealed to me as an opportunity to help a disadvantaged young person towards their aspirations at a pivotal point in their life.”
“We’ve typically played football, basketball, tennis, pitch & putt and have also cooked, sailed model boats and been shopping.”
“My focus has been on building a relationship of trust and providing reassurance and encouragement along the journey to adulthood. A key role for me was being a point of continuity during a period of change. Looking back I can see how important that was; providing not only an element of stability but the presence of someone whom he’d formed his very own relationship with. I’ve found the whole experience immensely fulfilling.”
Mentors work with young people on their personal goals. For example, Break mentors have helped young people:
- Feel more confident.
- Create CV’s and find work opportunities.
- Feel a connection with someone who shares their hobby such as art.
- Try new activities and places.
- Have fun to put aside their worries for a little while.
- Learn a new skill such as riding a bike.
- Learn DIY skills by improving the young person’s home.
- Learn a new sport and introduce them to a sports team.
Summer session dates: 15 June, 29 June, 13 July, 27 July, 10 August, 24 August 2023.
Autumn session dates: TBC
All sessions will take place in Norfolk on Thursdays and will run from 12noon or 2pm for a maximum of three hours.
Oliver* shares his experiences of mentor, Tom*:
“I like Tom, he’s good. We both like biking so we go biking a lot, out on the road. I find it a good way to chat about things. I can share my feelings and stuff while we’re out.”
*Names changed
MENtoring Application form
Please complete all questions below to apply for the 12 week programme. If you have any questions please take a look at the FAQs further down the page and email mentoring@break-charity.org for any further queries.
FAQs
Absolutely not! It’s important we can offer support for young people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Not at this stage, we’d love for you to attend as many of the six sessions during the 12-week period as you’re able to, and then after that if you think you’d like to be matched with a mentee we would ask for a longer term commitment.
If you become a regular mentor, you will have access to relevant training sessions led by Break’s mentoring team as well as a supervision meeting every three months. For this 12-week programme the activities will be led by a Break member of staff and will be available to offer support during and outside of the sessions.
The six sessions will be group activities and a member of BReak staff will always be present. If you form a bond with a young person and both of you are comfortable to do so, there may be short periods where you are working with a young person unsupervised.
There’s no pressure for you to continue with the programme, but please do let us know. We’re always very happy to receive feedback, especially if it would enable us to improve the experience for mentors or mentees.
No, all sessions and out of pocket expenses will be funded by Break thanks to XXX
XXXX
Fantastic! We look forward to hearing from you. Please email mentoring@break-charity.org to let us know.
Mentees will be aged from 12 years and up.
If you decide to become a mentor after the programme, we will consider your personalities and interests. It might be that you meet your mentee during the 12-week programme, but if you haven’t had a chance to do so then you will have a supported induction. After an initial period, the mentor and the mentee can then decide whether they would like to continue to meet independently.
We understand why you might feel this way. We're being really open with young people so that they are aware that everyone joining are there to see whether volunteer mentoring is right for them and are not signing up for the long term right now. That applies to you whether you're a mentor or a mentee.
