Volunteer educational mentors needed for the '24-25 academic year

Would you like to support an asylum-seeking or refugee young person with their education? Refugee Education UK is looking for volunteers to act as educational mentors for at-risk young refugees, asylum seekers, and survivors of trafficking.

What You'll Do: 

Educational mentors meet with their mentees once a week, in a public place, to help them with an agreed aspect of their education (mainly ESOL-related) for a minimum of six months. Mentors who apply to work with us go through an application process involving an interview, external references and a DBS check before they attend our mandatory training which covers child protection, boundaries, the asylum process, and how to structure mentoring sessions.
We ask the mentor to start their mentoring session by 5:30 pm at the latest on a regular weekday and we ask both mentors and mentees to commit for at least 6 months.

Why You'll Love It: 

Mentors get the chance to be positive influences and role models in the lives of young people arriving in the UK with limited support networks.

 

Here is a testimonial from a current mentor and on the things he has enjoyed from volunteering:

 

There are more than I could list here, but one of the main ones for me is when your mentee makes a breakthrough on something that was giving them difficulty, especially after you've been working on it together for a while. I've also really enjoyed seeing my mentees flourishing and doing well in their lives, like when they get through their exams or when you hear about the activities they are enjoying outside of education. It's a real privilege to share part of someone's life through the mentoring role. - Duncan L. 2023

What You'll Learn: 

All new educational mentors will attend our New Mentor Training to get you ready for your matches. 

 

We also have quarterly mentor development trainings that provides opportunities for continued learning and connection among the mentoring hub. Past trainings have included topics on ESOL, boundaries, revision strategies and more.

What We're Looking For: 
  1. Experience of working with young people and the related challenges (ie: flexibility and patience sometimes required for youth work).
  2. Capacity to travel to a location convenient for the young person and an ability to meet the young person by 5:30 pm at the latest.
  3. Experience of working with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.
  4. Ability to work on own initiative and a willingness to take on relevant preparation.
  5. Ability to think creatively and problem-solve.
  6. Excellent communication/interpersonal skills.
  7. Good organisational skills.
  8. Ability to cope with emotionally-demanding and stressful situations.
  9. Motivated by promoting the wellbeing of children and young people.
  10. Commitment to and ability to work in accordance with REUK’s Child Protection policies and Christian Ethos.
Summary
Volunteering
Mentor
Education
Refugees
Barking and Dagenham
Barnet
Bexley
Brent
Bromley
Camden
Croydon
Ealing
Enfield
Greenwich
Hackney
Hammersmith and Fulham
Haringey
Harrow
Hillingdon
Hounslow
Islington
Kingston upon Thames
Lambeth
Lewisham
Merton
Newham
Redbridge
Remote opportunity
Richmond upon Thames
Southwark
Sutton
Tower Hamlets
Waltham Forest
Wandsworth
Location of opportunity: 
Volunteering takes place in spaces like libraries and cafes in your local area. Our mentoring matches are made in locations that work best for the mentor and mentee so do let us know which areas work best for you.
26 Weeks Minimum
1 Hours / Week
Skills you will develop: 
Active listening
Cultural Awareness
Empathy
Relevant interests: 
Charity / Nonprofit
Education
Requirements: 
CV / Resume
DBS check
In-Person Interview
Over 18 years old
Training

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