Volunteer Educational Mentor

Refugee Education UK (REUK) provides education support to young people affected by displacement and crisis. We support these young people to overcome the barriers that prevent them from accessing and progressing in education and training, in order that they may realise their potential and build a brighter future, whether in the UK or elsewhere. We work with unaccompanied minors, refugee and asylum seeking children in families, and young survivors of trafficking. The young people on this programme are aged between 14 and 25 years old. Mentors often become important adults in the young people’s lives, acting as role models and helping to combat isolation and loneliness. 

Main tasks and responsibilities 

• Mentors provide individual educational support to one young person for one hour per week for a minimum of six months. These sessions take place either in a public library local to the young person, or in the young person’s college library.
• Educational goals are set at the beginning of the mentoring relationship, and reviewed after six months.
• Mentors mostly work on the aspects of homework or classwork which young people find most challenging; at times, they also provide additional teaching and prepare resources.
• Mentors work closely with the REUK Educational Mentoring team who provide oversight, guidance and support. 

Benefits to volunteer

• Help make a significant difference to the lives of unaccompanied minors, refugee and asylum seeking children  and young survivors of trafficking.
• Improve a range of skills such as communication, organisational, education and training. 

What skills do I need?

Skills, attributes, qualifications and experience

• Experience of working with young people and the related challenges (ie: flexibility and patience sometimes required for youth work).
• 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.
• Experience of working with people from a variety of backgrounds and cultures.
• Ability to work on own initiative and a willingness to take on relevant preparation.
• Ability to think creatively and problem-solve.
• Excellent communication/interpersonal skills.
• Good organisational skills.
• Ability to cope with emotionally-demanding and stressful situations.
• Motivated by promoting the wellbeing of children and young people.

Exam grades and job titles are not the full picture - the context in which achievements were gained also matters. At REUK, we actively seek to recruit with the right mix of talent, skills and potential, considering the impact of the context in which a candidate has worked or studied. 

We are an equal opportunities employer, and welcome applications from a wide range of volunteers, including those with lived experience of forced migration, and from other backgrounds that are currently underrepresented among our volunteers and staff. 

Additionally, if you feel you would require reasonable adjustments in order to carry out the role or attend an interview at REUK due to a disability, caring responsibilities or any other reason, please give details of this in your application. 

Because of the nature of the work the provisions of Section 4(2) of the 1974 Rehabilitation of Offenders Act do not apply. Information about convictions, which for other purposes are “spent” must therefore be disclosed. Successful applicants will need to give permission for an enhanced Disclosure and Barring check to be made. 

When do I need to be available?

Details

1 hour per week for a minimum of 6 months