Want to find a mentor or befriender?
How to find a mentor or befriender
If you, or someone you know, would benefit from having a mentor or befriender, then there are two ways to go about getting one:
1. Many people are referred through an agency.
2. Some people use the self referral approach where they contact a mentoring provider themselves.
Many mentoring and befriending programmes will only accept people who have been referred through an agency and they will have their own referral procedures.
1. Many people are referred through an agency.
2. Some people use the self referral approach where they contact a mentoring provider themselves.
Many mentoring and befriending programmes will only accept people who have been referred through an agency and they will have their own referral procedures.
Agency referrals
The Connexions service gives confidential advice, support and information to young people aged 13-19. Key areas include education, training and work.
Jobcentre Plus oversee mentoring provision in the New Deal for Young People, New Deal 25 plus, New Deal for Lone Parents, New Deal for Disabled People and is responsible for identifying and referring all potential mentoring participants.
The National EBP Network (NEBPN) is the umbrella body and national voice for Education Business Partnerships working across all regions. Many Education Business Partnerships or EBPs are involved in mentoring and contact details are available from the NEBPN website.
The National Probation Service is a law enforcement agency and public authority concerned with offender punishment, rehabilitation and protection of the public.
Various Social Services - contact your local council for details.
Self-referral
Age Concern run befriending programmes for older people throughout the country.
Rainer work with under-supported young people and run mentoring programmes throughout England. Many of the young people they work with have been involved with the criminal justice system, are in or leaving care, homeless, may be young parents or facing serious deficits in their education affecting their employment prospects.
The British Red Cross run a range of mentoring and befriending projects throughout the country.
SOVA (Supporting Others Through Volunteer Action) run a range of mentoring and befriending programmes designed to promote social inclusion and reduce crime.
The Prince’s Trust supports young people (aged 14-30) in order to remove barriers in their lives and help to get them working. They run a number of mentoring schemes throughout the country.
Volunteer Centres provide support at a local level for volunteers and volunteer-involving organisations and a number run mentoring and befriending programmes. They can match people up with appropriate volunteering opportunities in the local community. Contact details and links to all the Volunteer Centres around the country are available on the Volunteering England website.
The Youth Justice Board works to prevent offending by children and young people under the age of 18. They operate a number of strategies in order to achieve this aim one of which is mentoring.
Schools - many schools have mentoring and befriending programmes running within the school. If you are of school age there may be a suitable programme at your school.
