A SSAFA Volunteer mentor will support, encourage, guide and empower an individual or family on a ‘one to one’ basis, sharing knowledge, skills and experience to assist through a challenging period to achieve goals and objectives.
The fundamental aim of the mentoring relationship is to build enough self-confidence, self-esteem, and resilience to empower the service leaver to identify their own issues and goals and to act on them without support. It is not about doing it for them.
Mandatory Requirements
• Age 25 or over
• Have a full driving Licence and access to a vehicle.
• Have a good understanding of IT and access to a computer.
• The willingness to travel up to 50 miles or up to an hours travel from your home address to support a beneficiary
• Satisfactory Criminal Record Check DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) or for Scottish mentors a PVG (Protective Vulnerable Group) check.
Key Skills
• Good Active Listening Skills
• Good written and verbal communication skills
• Non-Judgemental approach
• Positive motivator
• Reliable and resourceful
• Empathic
Role Expectations
A Mentors role is to motivate, advise and support whilst empowering the mentee to make their own decisions and take responsibility for their own pathway, actions, and development.
• Meet with their mentee weekly face to face.
• Assist the beneficiary to establish, set and achieve realistic goals.
• Provide a listening ear.
• Challenge opportunities, problems, strengths and weaknesses.
• Support and identify opportunities for signposting.
• Seek opportunities to support and develop knowledge and skills.
• Support and generate workable solutions.
• Maintain contact with Regional Mentoring Coordinator.
• Attend mandatory supervision with the Regional Mentoring Coordinator.
• Highlight and raise any concerns with the Regional Mentoring Coordinator.
• Provide detailed accurate meeting records in a timely manner.
• Uphold the aims and values of SSAFA and comply with ALL policies and procedures.
• Complete mandatory training.
A Mentor is not a professional advisor or counsellor.