Become a volunteer mentor
We are always looking for ordinary people to make an extraordinary difference to a young person’s life.
How we help
Mentoring
Young people need trusted adults
Every child deserves someone who listens, encourages, and believes in them.
In a recent report York City Council's Director of Health published a report advising that 14% of young people in York feel they do not have a trusted adult to talk to - that's over 3,500 under 18s without the fundamental support they need.
Our one-to-one mentoring programme offers children and young people aged between 8 and 18 the chance to build a trusting relationship with a trained volunteer mentor who supports their emotional wellbeing and personal growth.
Whether that young person is facing personal challenges or simply needs a positive role model, we’re here to help them thrive.
Through weekly sessions filled with fun, creativity, and connection, our mentors help children and young people to develop their confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.
Connect, Trust, Inspire
Enabling strong, proactive relationships between young people and trusted adults is at the heart of what we do. We support the community to come together to help young people when life gets tough. Mentoring is a simple yet powerful tool for early intervention by creating meaningful connections that can transform lives and lift aspirations for the future.
A trusted adult can make all the difference by:
- Helping young people feel seen, heard, and valued, especially during times of uncertainty.
- Encouraging positive choices, guiding young people through challenges and navigate complex decisions with confidence.
- Boosting resilience and self-belief by building a young person’s ability to bounce back from setbacks and believe in their potential.
- Offering stability in a young person’s life when other relationships may feel uncertain.
The Impact
Mentoring delivers measurable, long‐term benefits. Building meaningful, supportive relationships with trusted adults helps young people across many dimensions: emotional wellbeing, educational success, life skills, reduced risk, and stronger communities. Studies, across the UK ,on the impact of trusted adult mentoring show:
- 84% of young people felt they were more positive and could manage their emotions.
- 77% felt better able to stick at things even when struggling.
- 82% showed increased motivation and improved attitude towards school and work.
- 67% reported an improvement in mental wellbeing.
- 72% said mentoring helped with confidence.
- 94% said mentoring provided a positive role model.
Refer a child or young person
We are currently closed for new referrals. Join our mailing list to be the first to hear when referrals reopen.
Who are you here for?
Are you a young person looking to explore mentoring, or a parent, carer, or supporter seeking guidance and support? Click below to find tailored information just for you.
Young people
Find out about getting a mentor and how we help if you are a young person.
Parents & Carers
Find out how we can support your child through mentoring.
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Supporters
Find other ways to support The Island and our mentoring programme.