Volunteer Mentors

We recruit new mentors 2/3 times a year

We do so by advertising in libraries, places of worship, community centres/organizations, volunteer bureaux, work places, local press, etc. and of course via our website.

Mentors come from a wide variety of backgrounds: cab drivers, management consultants, retail workers, (single) parents, ex-offenders, teachers, manual workers, ex-police, bankers, social workers, army, etc, etc.

We welcome diversity – in ethnic background, religious background, age, social background/status, gender. After all, the young men we work with are all different too!

Our first requirement is that you have a mature outlook on life, are enthusiastic, grounded, non-judgmental with empathy for young people (and their issues, problems, failings) and that you can commit for at least 12 months.

Your commitment will consist of weekly visits (of one hour) to your mentee in prison; undertaking research into training/education/housing opportunities if required; making links with other agencies such as Probation, Youth Offending Team; supporting your mentee upon his release (which could be a very intense period for both of you!) and keeping in touch with him in the community by phone on a weekly basis with fortnightly meetings where possible.

And that is just you and your mentee! In addition, you will have to attend our training courses, regular supervisions and a quarterly group meeting.

Sounds daunting? We understand! But it has not put off the many, many mentors who have worked and are working with Trail-Blazers!

And why not? Because they all get enormous satisfaction out of the work they do (as well as occasional frustration and despair!). They know that they learn so much from the training and the mentoring experience. And they know that they themselves undergo a really valuable personal development experience in addition to the personal development they facilitate for their mentee.

Below is a taste of the recruitment and training process:
• Induction ½ day/evening
• Personal selection interviews

If the applicant is accepted on the training, then:

Initial 3-day training course (weekends or weekdays by choice) including:
• introduction to criminal justice system
• backgrounds to offending
• what is mentoring
• do's and don'ts of mentoring
• listening skills
• challenging
• Tool Sets One and Two:
Introduction to Mentoring
Better Relationships
• policies and procedures

Final selection process (not everyone is accepted. Trainees are subject to continuous assessment during the training).

If the applicant has successfully completed the training this is then followed by:
• Prison Awareness Training (delivered by the
prisons)

When the trainee has completed the training and been accepted as a mentor, s/he will be matched with a potential mentee.

Mentors are expected to attend further training in Tool Sets:
• Asserting Myself
• Money Matters
• Getting to Work

And a further course:
• Through the Gate

Interested? Please contact us on 01296 - 444 105 or email us for an application pack and recruitment/training dates.