For the 7th and final day of #volunteersweek, we were privileged to attend 1625 Independent People’s thank you celebration over in Patchway to hear more about the incredible work their dedicated volunteer mentors do.
1625 Independent People is a charity working with young people who are homeless, leaving care or at risk of homelessness in the South West. As well as providing safe and stable accommodation, they provide practical and emotional support to ensure vulnerable young people can build healthy relationships, develop independent living skills and can access jobs and training. They are all about helping young people to flourish and thrive, not just survive.
One of their support offers to young people is the opportunity to have a mentor, and 1625ip know that working with a volunteer mentor who, as one young person summed up ‘isn’t paid to care’, can be life changing for both the mentee and the mentor.
The event was an opportunity for various people to say thank you to volunteer mentors, and we had the opportunity to hear from mentees, and staff, within 1625ip, as well as a chance for mentors to network and socialise with other mentors on the programme.
“Volunteer work changes lives. At 1625ip it changes young people’s lives but it also changes volunteer’s lives, and the lives of people living in the community around these people. Years of research shows that it takes just one positive, trusted relationship with an adult to change a young person’s trajectory – and for many of our young people a mentor could be that trusted relationship, and that reliable person who is consistently showing they care”. - Dom Wood, CEO 1625 Independent People
The appreciation in the room was felt even more when a short film, featuring some of the project's mentees, was shown. In their own words, young people shared some of the things they liked about having a mentor, and the difference their regular meet ups had – whether that be getting out of the house, trying something new or sharing a memorable experience. What mentors and mentees do together can vary as much as the people involved. The project weaves in plenty of space to talk, and reflect, looking to what young people want from their futures (after some less scary getting to know each other!) with lots of confidence building, ‘getting out there more’ and fun! Mentors meet young people where they are at, and walk alongside them, rather than rushing them towards specific goals. There are times when mentors can share a bit of ‘how I got there’. Many mentors have themselves lived experience related to some of the challenges their mentees are facing, and all are recruited because they can empathise deeply with some of the challenges young people face today.
“I’ve found mentoring, slightly unexpectedly, a good way to decompress. It’s something I do after work, before returning to my home life, where I get to chat to someone completely different about completely different things – and be really present and in the moment. I’ve really enjoyed meeting the young people I have, I find it hugely rewarding, it’s a two-way street. It also sometimes puts my own troubles into perspective.” - Mentor
“As a recently retired nurse I was thinking ‘what now’, how can I help society still, where do I fit? I get to stay in the loop with what life is like for young people today, I keep in touch with younger ways of thinking and I hopefully make a small difference. I really thought long and hard about the volunteering I wanted to do, and this feels very worthwhile” - Mentor
Mentors have to be reliable, and patient, as it can take young people time to turn up, open up, and trust – as after all, meeting a stranger, is daunting for even the most confident adults! Many mentors also weave their mentoring roles around working full time – something 1625ip recognise and are grateful for.
Karen Clark, South Gloucestershire Services Manager, echoed this in her thank you speech “We understand the significant commitment you make. I’ve also been a volunteer most of my working life and it’s a commitment people take on because they care. We often ask people in our volunteer training to relfect on who was there for them when they were growing up – for many of our young people you become that person, and that’s amazing. Thank you so much”
Max Harris, Community Mentoring Project Coordinator, shared an account of the difference volunteers had made to him when he himself was once a young person in need of support. Having had a career in various roles he expressed how much he enjoys now returning to coordinating volunteers, and how grateful he was for the volunteers he gets to support in their roles on the South Gloucestershire Mentoring Project.
There will always be young people in need of reliable adults in their lives, and the chance to meet someone they may not have had the chance to if projects like 1625 Independent People’s didn’t exist. If you think you could be that person who cares when it feels like no one else does why not get in touch? You can find more about being a mentor on the 1625 Independent People’s South Gloucestershire Mentoring Project by calling 0117 969 5763 and asking to speak to Karen or Max or by taking a look at the role advert here: Volunteer Community Mentor (South Glos) - 1625 Independent People