Y's Girls Volunteer Mentor

YMCA England and Wales has officially launched Y’s Girls, a programme specifically developed to offer help and support to young women and girls at risk of developing mental health issues, and they are calling on the community to get involved.

Working with social workers, schools and local organisations, Y’s Girls will connect vulnerable young women aged 9 to 14 with mentors from a range of different backgrounds to offer support and positively influence their lives.

Do you want to make a difference in their own community and make a difference in the life of a young person? You will regularly meet up with a young person offering a friendly ear, support and guidance and advice on making positive life choices. Full training will be given and a DBS check will be required (no cost involved).

You will be expected to regularly meet up with the young person over a 6-9 month period, no more than once per week, working together on activities that are fun and engaging. You must be a good listener and be able to engage in conversations with the young person to encourage them to develop important life skills. You will always set a good example to the young person and encourage positive behaviour. You will play an important role in helping a young person achieve their full potential and build on the young person’s strengths.

Email (volunteer@bradfordymca.org.uk)

Skills

• We require no formal qualifications.

• You will be able to reflect on life experiences where you personally have faced difficulties and challenges in life, with which you gained essential learning and understanding about many of the experiences that a young person will face.

• Mentors will need to be able to show empathy to a young person and see things from the perspective of the young person. It will be important to help the young person develop empathy for others.

• A good mentor will not be judgemental towards a young person. There will be times that mentors will disagree with choices being made and behaviour patterns, however maintaining a trusting relationship relies on mentors avoiding making judgements and avoiding criticising the young person.

• It is important that mentors show a motivation to see children and young people succeed in life. Often this can be expressed as an understanding of the difficulties and challenges vulnerable young people might face. It can also be reflected in a mentor looking beyond the behaviour of a young person to see the root causes, to see the reasons why they may be behaving this way. The mentor wherever possible seeks to encourage and praise the positive decisions and changes young people make.

• Good communication skills and a good listener.

• Able to complete paperwork accurately and on time (training will be given)

• Good time keeping and reliable - an essential quality for the young people to trust you.

• Knowledge of Issues facing young girls In Bradford and a willingness to learn.