How we help

By providing long-term support, we want to have a lasting impact on children's lives. A mentor helps to make up for some of the things they have missed out on, and supports their psychological development and wellbeing. This means they are more aware of the choices available to them, more aware of their strengths, and better able to make the most of their life.

The children we support benefit directly from the one-to-one care of their mentor. But our impact extends way beyond those services. Their families also see the benefits, our volunteers get a lot out of their relationship with a child, and the communities they live in are stronger as a result.

Better life chances

With a mentor, the children we support develop the confidence to try new things, and they feel better about themselves. They feel valued and find skills and self-worth in lives that are often overlooked.

Our mentors give struggling children the strength and skills to cope with the challenges they face and help them to realise there could be other choices available to them. Someone who believes in them, who listens and encourages them, gives them a different view of themselves outside the pressures of their family life. They start to see the possibilities in their future and what they could become.

Our relationships with the people around us shape our identity as we grow up. Having a positive role model and a strong friendship shows these children how to build and nurture good relationships in their own lives.

Just being there makes a difference

For many of our children, being able to talk to someone openly and honestly is a relief. They have conversations in which their own voice can be heard. For a few hours a week, they can escape the burdens they face every day, and they start to discover the person they want to become. Having a mentor helps them fulfil their potential.

Helping families and communities

It’s not just children who benefit from our support. The families we help are often very isolated and this helps them to feel more connected. For struggling parents, having a few hours each week for themselves or to give time to other children in the family is incredibly important. We also help them to access other support like financial or housing advice. Through us, families can support the needs of their children better.

Our volunteers get a lot out of giving long term care and stability to a child. They try new things, and the child they are matched with often gives them a different view of the world. And local communities get stronger as they work together to tackle problems and make sure every person is supported.

Breaking the cycle

Many of the families we support are in persistent poverty and have a long-term family history of unemployment and reliance on state benefits. Children growing up in these circumstances are much more likely to have low aspirations and to repeat the cycle of disadvantage. Providing new opportunities and wider horizons helps to break this cycle.