Crawley & Horsham Peer Mentoring Service
Peer Mentor Role Description and Person Specification
Each peer mentoring relationship will vary as it depends on the needs of the individual being mentored. However, there are some common tasks to the role of being a mentor and these are:
· to meet your mentee on an agreed time and day basis
· to offer support and advice to ensure that the agreed task is being successfully undertaken by the person being mentored
· to talk and listen to your mentee in an accepting and non-judgemental way
· to maintain confidentiality at all times
· to ensure that the relationship is one based on mutual interest, trust and respect
· to offer support to your mentee in exploring new social networks
· to participate in the training offered to you as a mentor
· to attend the supervision offered to you by the coordinator
· to participate in volunteer group meetings and other activities relating to the running and success of the service
In addition to being able to achieve the above tasks there are certain personal attributes that are important for a mentor to have:
· personal experience or understanding of mental health issues
· a good listener and communicator
· reliable and a good timekeeper
· patience and flexibility
· an accepting and non-judgemental approach
· an understanding and commitment to maintaining confidentiality at all times
· the ability to relate to others in a sensitive way
· an awareness of your own support needs and the ability to ask for help
· to demonstrate respect towards others
Hours
The Peer Mentoring Service has funds to support a weekly meeting – generally a minimum of 1 hour - between each mentor and mentee. If there are special circumstances which require alternative arrangements, the matter should be discussed and agreed with the coordinator.
Referral Process
People who are referred to the Peer Mentoring Service are assessed by the coordinator. This will include discussing what we expect of the mentee in terms of commitment; a risk assessment is also carried out prior to the person being accepted into the service and, when a waiting list is in operation, this will be fully explained.
Matching Process
Once someone has been assessed as being appropriate to be matched with a mentor, the coordinator will decide who can best meet the mentee’s needs in terms of helping them to achieve their goal/s. You will be invited to meet with a new mentee and the coordinator together, following which both you and the mentee will be contacted by the coordinator to discuss the feelings of both parties. If you agree to work together, you and your mentee will arrange a regular weekly slot and the match will begin. If either of you does not feel you can work together further introductions will be offered. Once a match is established, there will be regular reviews and you will attend both individual and group supervision.
A match will generally run for up to 3 months according to the needs of the mentee. If circumstances suggest that a longer match is appropriate, however, it is possible that this can be negotiated.
Supervision
You are required to attend individual and group supervision on a regular basis as arranged (minimum: 3 individual sessions and 3 group sessions per year). This will be discussed and agreed with the coordinator and will depend on the circumstances of your mentoring arrangements.
Training
You will already have completed your free training programme. However it is intended that additional training will take place regularly, some of which will be determined through discussion within individual and group supervision.
Annual Review
A review of your work will be held one year after you take up your role. This will be an opportunity to assess which aspects are going well and which aspects might need developing.
Expenses
Please see the Mentor Expenses Policy for details of the process and rules that volunteer peer mentors should adhere to when making expense claims.
Holidays
As a mentor you are entitled to and expected to take holidays. Wherever possible the coordinator should be notified one month in advance.
Mentor/Mentee Communication
As a mentor you will have your mentee’s contact number should you need to be in touch outside of the mentoring session. Mentees can make contact with their mentor via the Mentoring Service Coordinator or, if discussed and agreed, mentors can choose to give their mentee a contact number. We would recommend that mentors consider and discuss the boundaries of this with the mentee and ensure that this option is for essential contact only.
Insurance
All mentors are covered under Mind in Brighton and Hove’s public liability insurance. This does not include car insurance.
Notice of Leaving
If you intend to leave the project please inform the coordinator, wherever possible, at least one month in advance. If at any time you feel that your arrangement with your mentee is not working you should speak to the coordinator, as soon as possible, so that alternative options can be considered.
References
Mind in Brighton and Hove is happy to provide references for you once you have been a volunteer with the service for a period of six months.
Policies
You are expected to work to Mind in Brighton and Hove’s overall objectives and the organisation’s official policies (the most appropriate of which are included in this pack). You should also be familiar with all other information and guidelines included in this pack.
Arrangements if there are problems
If you are unhappy or have a complaint about the service, please refer to the Complaints Procedure. If Mind in Brighton and Hove is dissatisfied with your work in any way, we will follow the procedures found in the policy Ending of Agreement with a Volunteer.
Updated: December 2017