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Do you remember your very first mentor? The person who inspired you to be the best version of you, reach for your goals and achieve your dreams?
The Mentoring programme provides one-to-one support for vulnerable or at-risk young people in the Chorley area.
Our mentors build relationships with members and offer guidance and advice on a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations – ultimately, our mentors give young people someone to talk to when they need it most.
Through building a trusting, reliable relationship we can support young people through difficult periods in their life and support them to build their self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience. We work with young people to identify targets they want to work towards, have a voice, feel empowered and create positive memories.
If you are working with a young person and you think the Mentoring Service would benefit them, please find some more information below…
The Mentoring Service provides one to one support for vulnerable or at-risk young people in the Chorley area. Through building a trusting, reliable relationship we can support young people through difficult periods in their life and support them to build their self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience. We work with young people to identify targets they want to work towards, have a voice, feel empowered and create positive memories. Mentoring is about building a quality relationship and giving the young person someone they can talk to.
The Youth Support Coordinator manages the relationship between the volunteer and young person. We work holistically with other professionals, share information and contribute towards multi-agency meetings. It is important that we are part of this process to enable to the best outcomes for the young person and their family.
The ways that we work with our young people, and the outcomes we are supporting them to work towards, are outlined in this Theory of Change Model
A Mentor is there to build a positive relationship with the young person and support them by building self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience. They are there as a positive role model, a listening ear and there just for them. They are not there to provide respite or become involved with other family members.
Throughout the Mentoring journey, the young person will be encouraged to identify targets that they would like to work on with the support of their Mentor. We realise that some young people may find this difficult, particularly those who have been through trauma or struggle to understand how they feel. Research has shown that a consistent, reliable adult who will listen to a young person can have a positive impact on many areas of their life. Our Mentors enable young people to recognise their own positive qualities/assets and continue to build on these.
The impact we have on young people is measured on a regular basis through using the ‘My Star Outcome Tool.’ This is a useful tool as young people can visually see how far they have come in reaching positive outcomes.
Mentors are volunteers who are recruited from the community. They go through a stringent recruitment and vetting process and received comprehensive training for the role. They are managed by the Coordinator and receive regular supervision and ongoing support.
Who can make a referral?
Professionals from – social care, education, health.
How do I make a referral?
To refer a young person to the Mentoring service – please complete the form below.
How often do Mentors meet their young person?
Mentors meet their young person for approximately 1 – 2 hours on a fortnightly basis.
How long will a young person have a Mentor?
The young person can be matched with a Mentor for 1-2 years. The Coordinator reviews and monitors the relationship throughout. The match end process will be planned and transitioned gradually.
What if I have a concern about a Mentor?
Any concerns you have about a Mentor should be directed to the Coordinator.
Is there a waiting list?
Each Coordinator can only work with a limited number of young people at any one time, they will then be placed on the waiting list until a space becomes available.
What happens when a place becomes available?
The young person will be allocated to a Youth Support Coordinator who will complete their assessment of needs and risk which will determine whether they are suitable for our service. The Coordinator will then arrange to meet the young person, explain the role of a Mentor and check to see if the young person needs a Mentor and is ready to engage.
Becoming a mentor is really easy! Please complete our application form here and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
We accept referrals from all agencies; however, the young Person MUST be open to an Early Help or receiving support from Children’s Social Care. We work with young people aged 11 – 17 years old who live in Chorley. We also consider referrals for those young people who attend a school/college in Chorley and the local area.
Sam joined our Mentoring programme, a structured 1-to-1 relationship to provide support, advice and guidance. This programme helps mentees to develop their skills and achieve their goals, supported by a wide range of resources and activities relating to personal development, education and career pathways.
Sam was mentored by Inspire volunteer Simon, who volunteered to help Sam stay positive, motivated and believe in himself. Sam was very quiet, didn’t talk much and seldom left his bedroom. They soon learnt that they had a mutual interest in the board game chess. Playing chess improves your cognitive skills and it allowed Sam to better cope with the current situation and control his additional needs. A game of chess can develop your problem-solving skills and occupies the mind in a positive way which kept Sam regularly engaged and involved.
‘’Sam is a gifted tactician and always has a plan up his sleeve.’’ Simon says. The regular games of chess have boosted Sam’s creativity and organizational skills whilst maintaining a healthy and productive activity for them to talk comfortably.
Sam would bring his personal chess set and they played for up to an hour every week. After the 12-week programme Sam’s mental health has improved significantly, he is more confident and “enjoys it when his plan comes off” says mentor Simon. “When we have our sessions he communicates really well, we have a laugh and I believe he has started being more active and outgoing at home as well.” Sam has been regularly engaging with the Youth Zone and is continuing to take an interest in chess.
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Hi, I’m Ryan and I’m the Head of Operations at Inspire Youth Zone.
Email: ryan.powell@inspireyouthzone.org
