The Diana Award are thrilled to invite you to volunteer for our Mentoring Programme and Social Action Accelerator Pilot this Autumn 2024, which operate across London, Leeds and West Yorkshire.
We collaborate with volunteer mentors to support young people aged 14-18 who are at risk of becoming NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) through mentoring interventions, career skills development programmes, and support with their youth-led social action projects.
Based on your application to mentor and your availability, you will be placed in either our Mentoring Programme or Social Action Accelerator Pilot. Both programmes run between October 2024 – February 2025.
Mentoring Programme:
- Twelve weeks of weekly group mentoring sessions.
- Mentoring sessions last one hour (excluding travel) and are delivered on the same day and time each week.
- Volunteer mentors share advice and guidance with young people who are at risk of becoming NEET.
Social Action Accelerator Pilot:
- Five months of monthly group mentoring sessions.
- Mentoring sessions last two hours (excluding travel) and are delivered at the same time of day each month.
- Volunteer mentors support young people to develop and deliver their youth-led social action project.
We will train you to mentor and provide ongoing support for the duration of your programme.
The Diana Award can provide you with a professional reference, paid for DBS check, and refund your travel expenses in exchange for your voluntary work.
Responsibilities
- Commit to weekly sessions for twelve weeks and/or to monthly session for five months, demonstrating consistency and punctuality. Mentoring Programme sessions last 60 to 90 minutes (excluding travel) and Social Action Accelerator Programme sessions last 120 minutes (excluding travel). Both programmes are delivered in an education setting. Follow through is key when working with young people at risk of becoming NEET.
- Collaborate with The Diana Award facilitators and other volunteer mentors to deliver and support sessions.
- Review session plans and prepare for weekly and/or monthly sessions.
- Create a safe and positive learning environment and provide young people with encouragement, guidance, and constructive feedback.
- Nurture positive relationships with young people. Listen, understand, and acknowledge their feelings and experiences.
- Support young people to plan a social action project.
- Foster a growth mindset and encourage young people to challenge themselves to work towards their goals.
- Support young people’s professional development by connecting them with further opportunities. For example, workplace visits, work experience, resources, relevant networks etc.
- Identify and report any safeguarding and child protection concerns or disclosures to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, as per The Diana Award Safeguarding Policy.
Through mentoring you will
- gain skills in communication and leadership
- gain skills in building empathy
- develop an understanding of issues and barriers facing young people in their communities.
We will train you to mentor and provide ongoing support for the duration of your programme. The Diana Award can provide you with a professional reference, paid for DBS check, and refund your travel expenses in exchange for your voluntary work.
Requirements
- A minimum of 18-years-old.
- Willing to complete a DBS Check (paid for by The Diana Award).
- Willing to provide contact details for one referee.
- Able to commit to weekly and/or monthly face-to-face sessions.
- Able to attend a three-hour in-person mentor training session.
- Has the right to work and volunteer in the UK.
- Lives or works in London, Leeds and West Yorkshire.
Skills
- Passion for working with young people.
- Has developed or willing to develop active listening skills.
- Ability to see solutions and opportunities when working with people or in a group setting.
- Ability to show resilience when faced with challenging situations or behaviours.
Experience / Knowledge
- Has work experience, this can be professional, from previous volunteering, or social action initiatives.
- Has developed or willing to develop experience of picking, planning, and delivering a social action campaign.
Optional Experience / Knowledge
- Has experience in organising grassroots activism.
- Has experience or knowledge in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
- Has experience or knowledge in Widening Participation.
- Has experience in project management.
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