Our co-ordinators are doing a fantastic job recruiting volunteers from all walks of life to mentor children and young people as part of the intandem programme. A number of mentors have now completed several weeks of supportive, interactive training and selection, and we are thrilled to have our first 10 mentors matched with young people, with several more matches imminent.
The intandem co-ordinators are meeting with young people and their families to identify the most appropriate mentor for them. Once the match is made and the young person is happy to move forward, the co-ordinators will support the mentors and young people to get to know each other. After that, it’s over to the young people and the mentors to decide what they want they want to do every week – let the fun begin!
One of the 13 charities in who have successfully matched two young people with a mentor is Move On. Commenting on the matches Gaby Nolan, Operations Manager at Move on said:
“We are pleased that two intandem mentoring matches are now underway. Both young people have specific needs in terms of what they need from their mentor match. As we had existing, suitable mentors available who had completed our additional intandem training, we were able to support these matches to get underway quite soon after the young people were referred to the programme; enabling the intandem mentoring relationship to begin”.
“The next wave of volunteer training will take place later this month for new intandem mentors which will mean we are able to start matching even more young people.”
One of the intandem mentors who have been matched with young peoples said: “Mentoring was something I always interested in. If I can help a young person by passing on a little of what I have learnt throughout life, along with encouragement and support I believe it can be one of the most fulfilling things that I can do and a way of giving back to society.”