The charity Family Action is recruiting volunteers to become children and young people mentors in Lambeth. The scheme Friendship Works supports young people who have limited social interaction outside the family home. The charity is looking for dedicated people who are able to give long term support to a young person through taking them on regular outings. Mentees and their mentors get a chance to explore mutual interests, take part in new activities, and explore London together. The extension to the scheme to Lambeth was made possible by a grant from the Walcot Foundation.
Head of Friendship Works, Kate Gledhill says “Friendship with a volunteer mentor can help a socially isolated child access new opportunities, build self esteem and develop hopes and aspirations for the future. We would love to hear from people, over the age of 21, who are friendly, empathetic and resilient and have the capacity to make a long-term commitment to spending time with a child or young person living in London for a few hours three weekends a month. We are very grateful to Walcot Foundation for their support which is enabling us to extend our service into Lambeth”
Volunteer Paul explains how rewarding being a mentor can be: “Becoming a mentor with Friendship Works is without doubt the most rewarding thing I have ever done. Spending time with my match is always fun and watching him develop as a person is a real joy. It has also helped develop me as a person and communicator. Becoming a mentor with Friendship Works is one of the best investments with your spare time you could make and I would recommend it to absolutely anybody who asked.”
Find out more about becoming a mentor with Friendship Works here.
