Volunteer Mentor

ROLE DESCRIPTOR 

Volunteer Mentor  

• Volunteer role 
• Minimum commitment required: Initial training then 1-2 hours per month, for 6 months  
• Accountable to the CEO of Goal 17 
• Referee reports and an enhanced DBS check
• Flexible opportunity for community-based or online volunteer work 

We strive to help young people feel supported as they take their first steps into adulthood.  

We do this by matching trained volunteer mentors with underrepresented young people.

Some of these young people are navigating a transition to adulthood without parents or other guardians to provide support or face additional challenges. Our mentees value having a caring adult in their lives who can help guide them through the challenges of their new responsibilities, providing them with new perspectives. 

Goal 17’s award-winning mentoring programme partners with local authorities, public sector bodies, businesses, education providers and other organisations. We recruit volunteer mentors to create meaningful and connected networks for the young people. Our project provides support, events and embedded experiences that benefit everyone involved in the project.   

Our Volunteer Mentors do not need any specific skills as we provide all the training and support needed for this role. Mentors are key to this project’s success, working with young people in-person and online. Mentors provide support, advice, and open doors to new opportunities for their mentees.   

Volunteer mentors have access to a certificated training programme as part of our formal partnership with Oxford Brookes University.    

Key responsibilities 

• Meet regularly with a young person in community settings and/or online, and provide mentoring by employing taught strategies to help that young person manage challenges, decision-making, and access to opportunities around life, career, education, and community.  
• Take part in onboarding checks and training relevant to the post 
• Work with Goal 17 and our delivery partners to resolve problems, share information, promote the project, and complete basic reporting requirements, while being mindful of the need for confidentiality and GDPR requirements. 
• Refer young people to services and opportunities, with the support of Goal 17, local organisations and other partners. 
• Promote and adhere to all relevant policies of Goal 17 and our partners, as referenced in our Volunteer Handbook. 
• Work within policies and procedures of any community or business venue visited as part of the role, including those relating to health and safety. 

You will bring 

• An ability to listen and empathise with young people whose life experiences may be different from your own. 
• A friendly and supportive attitude, ready to empower young people from a wide range of backgrounds in an approachable and non-judgmental way 
• Flexibility and reliability in your dealings with young people, Goal 17 and our partners 
• Care and patience 

You should have 

• At least a basic level of digital "skills for life” as defined by the Department of Education, so you can keep in touch with Goal 17 and access our preferred platforms. 
• Good interpersonal and communication skills. 
• The ability to initiate communications and build connections 

Diversity and inclusivity 

We welcome applications from everyone. At Goal 17 we embrace new viewpoints, drive representative forms of engagement, and strive to achieve wide-reaching and authentic impact in our communities. We therefore encourage applications from people who belong to groups that are often marginalised in society, including applicants with experience of the care system.