Grant success from the Vantage Motor Group

The Island • March 14, 2019

Providing mentoring services for vulnerable children and young people living in York, we're delighted to announce that we've been awarded with a generous funding boost, thanks to a grant from the Toyota GB Vantage Motor Group based in Clifton Moor, York.

Our Mentoring Services Manager, Nigel Poulton, says “Through group-based activities and one to one sessions, our school-based mentoring programme involves children who could benefit from positive input from volunteers. The fully trained volunteers look at ways to improve each child’s confidence, self-esteem, attendance at school and resilience levels in a safe environment. The programme also enables children to explore and tackle challenges in a more positive and productive manner. The kind grant from the Vantage Motor Group, means we will be able to guarantee more school-based mentoring sessions which is going to help so many children experiencing difficulties with their mental, emotional and/or social wellbeing.”

Since becoming a registered charity in 2008, we've enhanced the quality of life of over 2,500 vulnerable children living in York, not just through school-based mentoring , but also through one-to-one mentoring , youth club work as well as girl and boy groups. Many ex-mentees have gone onto excelling in the school environment, pursuing higher education, successfully obtaining and completing apprenticeships as well as setting up their own businesses. One ex-mentee who still works closely with us, said that “without The Island I would definitely be ‘off the rails’ involved in crime, anti-social behaviour… possibly dead. Thanks to The Island my life has been transformed” for the long-term.

Vantage Motor Group’s Regional Director, Glen Ramskill says “our team wanted to support a local charity and after looking at a number of really good local causes, we selected The Island. The grant we’ve provided The Island with is just the start of a great relationship with them. We already have several fundraising activities planned, including a team bike ride from York to Whitby in May. Many members of our team are keen to contribute more to The Island’s charitable efforts which is why many are looking to become volunteers which is something that the Vantage Motor Group will actively support.”

As a small local and independent charity, we rely on grants and donations from businesses in order to guarantee particular mentoring services. We're always looking for more business support, so that we can help the next generation to thrive. If you are able to help us in anyway, whether that be through generating a fundraiser on our behalf or through volunteering with us, then please click here to get in touch .

An interview with a Volunteer Mentor

By Emma Bewlay • September 28, 2023
What interested you about becoming an Island Volunteer Mentor? I was interested in volunteering and personal development to enhance my career prospects. I was at a stage where I was confused as to where I wanted to go next but I knew I was good with people, and I knew that my personality would suit working one to one with a young person. I knew that I could pass on good advice and life experience. How long did you mentor for The Island? I mentored for around 15 months. Every week for around 2 hours on a Thursday night. Sometimes we would miss a session due to various factors, but these sessions were caught up on. What did you enjoy most about the Mentoring? I enjoyed being able to experience many different activities with my young person and being able to see their confidence grow. I enjoyed catching up and hearing stories from the week and focusing my attention on that session. Different social settings allowed me to guide my young person and relay stories from my experience which I knew would be helpful. This was enjoyable as I knew I was passing on vital helpful advice for adulthood. Why do you think Mentoring is important for young people? I think in today's world with social media and the stresses on life can be overwhelming for everyone. For a young person to be guided by a mentor, they can step away from that world for a short while and express themselves or let off steam in an environment where they can be nurtured and not judged. With the guidance of a mentor, the young person can take the advice into everyday life which will hopefully help them in difficult and stressful situations. The young person can build up a relationship with the mentor and know that they have trust in them to be able to openly talk about their feelings away from a family, friend it school setting. Please let us know how you have found the support from the island and which aspects you have found the most valuable? I found the support very good and easy to access. I knew that if I needed any support or advice, I could email or call my supervisor. I found the group sessions with other mentors helpful as we could come together and talk about our experience and use any advice in future sessions. Hearing stories from other mentoring experiences was highly valued. Has the Island supported you with any future plans personally or professionally? If so, could you share this with us? The island has kept in touch with me regarding several career opportunities throughout the mentoring process that I have considered. I know that I could sit with the island and discuss any plans if I needed to. Most of all, they have helped my confidence and gave me a platform to express myself and follow my goals which has put me in good stead for next move in my career as a health trainer. The skills and experience I have gained from my mentoring will be transferred over to this next role. At the Island, we are constantly looking for people who have the ability to listen, and who feel that they can develop a positive rapport with children and young people in an honest, challenging and non-judgemental way. All prospective volunteer mentors receive training, support and supervision. This covers such areas as communication, child protection, equal opportunities and often, in the process mentors learn more about themselves, too. To find out more about our volunteer opportunities please click here www.theislandyork.org
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