Volunteer Children's Mentor: Develop Your Skills and Make a Difference
Gain new skills, training and valuable experiences whilst supporting a child in your community!
As a mentor, you will be trained to deliver weekly 1:1 sessions for the duration of 12 months. You will help build confidence, resilience, and help your mentee manage feelings through a series of fun experiences. Whether you’re playing games or discussing goals, you’ll be making a difference in a child’s life by developing the tools for a positive future.
The day and time of sessions can be flexible between weekday evenings and weekends, whatever works best for you!
Our mentoring programme is a unique opportunity to support a child in your community in a non-educational setting. One of our values as an organisation is fun, and our mentoring sessions are all about providing a fun space for children and mentors alike!
76% of mentors reported that mentoring with TKN has had a positive effect on their wellbeing
74% reported that mentoring with TKN increased their belief that they can create positive change in their community
"Its been the most meaningful experience I have ever done up until now in life. It’s a very valuable experience for us, it’s a two way street. I think that’s enough. It just helps you fill your life with meaning." Mentor after 12 months
Join our community of mentors:
• We hold mentor meet-ups, providing an opportunity for you to meet, socialise, and share experiences with our diverse community of mentors.
• We run frequent group mentoring sessions where you can connect with other pairs while enjoying a fun and free activity. Previous sessions have included football games, theatre visits, trips to the zoo, plus art and cooking workshops.
Mentoring a Little Londoner can help supercharge your professional development, with 57% of mentors reporting the programme helped them progress in their career. We will support you to develop and enhance a wide range of transferable skills.
Training, Support & Certificate:
• All volunteers will attend 2 days of training, including safeguarding, understanding what mentoring is and skills to bring to the role.
• We also offer additional training throughout the year, with up to 30 hours of free training and development available.
• Upon completion of the mentoring programme, Mentors will receive a Badge of Excellence Certificate in Child-led Mentoring.
• Mentors will have a direct contact at the organisation, their Programme Manager (PM). PM's provide support, encouragement and advice throughout the whole year of your mentoring.
Volunteering with us will look great on your CV and you will gain demonstrable experience in:
• Building project management and teamwork skills: Collaboratively plan fun and engaging sessions.
• Commitment: Attend weekly sessions and meet deadlines by submitting session reports on time.
• Communication: Adapt your communication style to meet the needs of the child.
• Professionalism: Comply with all TKN policies and procedures, particularly regarding safeguarding.
• Working with children: Gain firsthand experience working with children aged 8-11.
We are looking for enthusiastic, curious, and fun volunteers that are eager to learn new skills and support local children.
No prior experience required, The Kids Network will support you with training you need to begin your mentoring journey.
