Mentor (Supporting Children and Young People experiencing trauma, Somerset)

Barnardo’s is committed to providing ‘Better Outcomes for More Children’. Our children’s services volunteers help the charity to deliver essential services in local communities, providing support to over 300,000 children, young people and their families. This role provides a great opportunity to join our fantastic children’s services and help make a real difference.

Barnardo’s Mentors work with young people and adults on a 1:1 basis, offering practical assistance and emotional support, to build their self-confidence, coping mechanisms and positive relationships. The work could be focused on a particular need, such as gaining employment or accessing training, or it could be more focused around life skills and independent living.

The Somerset Phoenix Project is a specialist service supporting children, young people, and their families who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA). Our trauma-informed approach focuses on building trusting, therapeutic relationships to aid in healing and recovery. We’re looking for compassionate, community-minded individuals to join us as Volunteer Mentors, supporting young people at the beginning and end of their therapeutic journey. This volunteering opportunity is about building supportive, consistent relationships with young people. You will support them to feel confident as they begin and complete their therapeutic journey with Barnardo’s. The role will involve regular check-ins with young people, supporting group workshops, celebrating mentees’ achievements, providing basic information, advice and guidance to children, young people and their families. The volunteering hours can be flexible to fit around your availability. This role can be emotionally draining and requires a high level of confidentiality, we will support you via supervisions and being part of a team of experienced counsellors and specialist trauma recovery workers. We welcome applicants with lived or professional experience of trauma.
Access to a car is helpful for getting around Somerset, but not essential. If you're ready to be a steady, positive presence in a young person’s recovery journey, we’d love to hear from you.

For further information please contact: Amie Engstrom, amie.engstrom@barnardos.org.uk, 07842 302696

We are looking for volunteers, with a passion for making a difference in people’s lives, with a friendly and approachable attitude and an ability to engage young people and adults, empowering them to take steps towards improving their situation and achieving their goals.