MENTORING PROGRAMME

Information for Parents

This booklet is intended as a brief guide to the Woodcraft Folk’s Mentoring Programme. Its’ aim is to answer any questions that you might have about your child’s involvement with it and help you understand more about the programme in general.

What is mentoring all about?

Mentors are not meant to take the role of a parent, guardian, or teacher. A mentor is not a disciplinarian or decision maker for a young person. A mentor’s main role is to help the young person achieve something. More specifically, something that is important to them. A mentor does not give advice; rather they help the mentee to weigh up situations, through a process of reflection, questions, challenge and feedback allowing the mentee to come to a decision themselves. It is crucial to remember that in any mentoring relationship it is the mentee who drives the agenda, not the mentor.

Mentoring is also concerned with creating an informal environment in which one person can feel encouraged to discuss their needs and circumstances openly and in confidence with another person who is in a position to be of positive help to them.

Why does my child need a mentor?

As a children’s and young people’s organisation the Woodcraft Folk is keen to involve children and young people in all aspects of running the organisation. In order to do this we encourage young people to take on roles of responsibility at a local, regional and national level. However we recognise that young people may need support to take on new roles and responsibilities as well as develop new skills. The Mentoring programme is designed to deal with requests from young people who would like to be matched with a more experienced volunteer who will help them develop new skills as well as build on existing ones and act as their Mentor.

Mentors are likely to provide support to young people who are:

  • Taking on new roles e.g. on a District Committee, as a group helper or young leader
  • Undertaking new tasks e.g. organising, promoting or budgeting for an event
  • Participating in democratic decision making processes for the first time
  • Running or supporting a campaign
  • Running a Local Action project
  • Supporting groups or districts who are using Follow the Trail
  • Supporting new group development
  • Assisting in the transition of other young people between age groups
  • Mediating or in other ways helping resolve disputes

In addition to learning skills to help them with specific roles within the Woodcraft Folk mentees will also be developing a range of other skills which could include:

  • Communication
  • Negotiation
  • Problem solving
  • Self-awareness
  • Decision making
  • Action planning

Are mentors trained?

All volunteer mentors will be required to have undergone training before they are matched with a young person. The training will cover keys skills and attitudes for mentors, child protection and safeguarding and establishing boundaries in mentoring relationships.

All mentors participating in the training will be eligible to works towards the ASDAN Mentoring Award. The ASDAN award can provide up to 6 credits towards a number of other qualifications at Level 1, 2, or 3 which participants may be undertaking at school or college.

How do I know the programme is safe?

All volunteer mentors will be required to have an enhanced CRB check before they are accepted onto the programme. A member of the TREE project team will be responsible for assessing applicants’ eligibility and ensuring that they meet all the necessary requirements for the programme.

In many instances mentees will be matched with mentors they have never met before. It is normal in a mentoring relationship for trust to develop over a period of time. In order to ensure that young people are supported in these new relationships a network of local third party contacts will be established. Their role will be to act as an intermediary between the mentee and mentor if any difficulties arise in the mentoring relationship. They will also provide mentees with support in the mentoring relationship from someone who is already known to them. In general local contacts will be existing group leaders, district role holders or other experienced local Woodcraft members known to the young person.

What about confidentiality?

A vital component of the mentoring relationship is the building of trust between a mentor and a mentee. As stated above trust evolves over time but the first step in establishing trust is an agreement between both parties that the relationship should be confidential.

Mentors and mentees will both be required to sign a mentoring agreement at the start of their relationship. This agreement will cover basic ground rules e.g. informing each other in advance if they cannot make a meeting, as well a confidentiality clause.

This clause states that both parties agree not to disclose anything discussed between them when they are in the Mentoring relationship and that the mentor will not repeat any conversations to other people. There are certain exceptions to this, and it is important that these are recognised and agreed at the start of the relationship.

If the mentor believes that there is a risk of harm to the mentee or any other person, based

on something that the mentee has said. In any of these cases the mentor will be obliged to report the issue to the project officer or to another member of staff/nominated volunteer.

Your child will of course be free to discuss as much as they wish with you about their involvement in the programme.

How long will they have a mentor for?

This will depend on what the mentor and mentee agree at the start of their relationship. As a minimum we hope mentors will commit to 3 months and we would not normally expect a relationship to continue for more than 12 months.

As part of the regular review process mentors and mentees will discuss a mutually agreed end for their relationship. Usually relationships will end because they have achieved what they set out to, however sometimes relationships may end prematurely. This could be down to a number of factors such as a change in either the mentor or mentee’s circumstances e.g. change in work/school/family commitments. However sometimes mentors and mentees simply do not ‘click’ and don’t feel that the relationship is achieving what they hoped. All mentoring relationships have a ‘no fault’ break clause and either the mentor or mentee can contact project staff or a local nominated volunteer to let them know they no longer wish to continue the relationship. If a match ends early mentees can always request a new mentor by contacting project staff.

When and where will they meet?

The timing, frequency and location of meetings will be agreed between the mentor and mentee at the start of their relationship.

In some instances the distance between a mentor and a mentee may mean that it is impractical for them to meet face to face. Mentors will therefore seek to support their mentees via phone calls or email.

Where face to face meetings are able to take place mentors are issued with guidance that they should seek to arrange meetings with their mentees in places that are safe, accessible and convenient for both of them. It is good practice for meetings to be arranged in a public place e.g.Woodcraft group meeting venue, community centre, café, library etc. Mentors and mentees should also let a responsible adult e.g. family member, local Woodcraft contact know when and where they are meeting and if there are any changes to these arrangements.

How will they be matched with a mentor?

Matching can be done by the kind of role that your child is interested in or by shared interests, experiences, knowledge etc.

The needs of mentees will be paramount in the matching process and all efforts will be made to ensure that they have as much choice in their mentor as possible. Mentors and mentees will be required to complete profile forms in order to facilitate the matching process. Matches will be made on the basis of compatibility between mentor and mentee profile forms.

Who do I contact if I have questions or concerns?

Your main point of contact will be the TREE Development Officer for Mentoring and Twinning who is responsible for managing the Mentoring Programme. Contact details are:

Rose Mitchell

Direct Line: 020 7358 6459

If you have any concerns regarding child protection or safeguarding please contact the Lead Safeguarding Officer:

Debs McCahon

0845 217 8939

The Mentoring Programme has been developed in conjunction with Woodcraft Folk policies/statements on:

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  • Safeguarding
  • Health and Safety for Groups
  • Whistle-Blowing
  • E-Safety
  • Code of Conduct
  • Equal Opportunities Policy
  • Dispute Resolution Procedures
  • Transport Guidance
  • Data Protection Policy
  • Recruitment of Ex-Offenders
  • Drugs and alcohol

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All Woodcraft Folk policies are available at

Anything Else?

If your child is aged under 18 years of age you will need to complete a parental consent form in order for them to participate in the Mentoring Programme. You should ensure that you have read this information booklet thoroughly before giving your child permission to participate in the Mentoring Programme.

Please be aware that Woodcraft Folk mentors are volunteers and not trained professional counselors. They receive training to support young people in their volunteering roles but are not intended to support young people in their personal lives. We advise volunteer mentors to signpost young people onto professional help if they need it e.g. if they are feeling depressed or stressed, being bullied, need advice on relationships, drugs/alcohol etc. . Please see our information on referrals for agencies that young people can be signposted to.

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