Mentoring service in schools
Harrogate and Craven young carers service has developed a successful mentoring programme for young carers in schools. Young carers are offered mentoring for an initial 10 week period with sessions lasting anything between 15 to 50 minutes depending on the young carer’s age and what’s going on in their lives.
The frequency of the sessions (weekly, bi-monthly or monthly) is decided between the young carer, mentor and teacher. If, after the initial 10 week programme, a young carer feels that they need more support, then mentoring can be provided for a further 10 weeks.
The sessions aim to increase self-esteem and confidence, raise aspirations and goals, improve attendance and/or punctuality at school, as well as provide praise and encouragement by looking at barriers to learning, bullying, behavioural problems, truancy and problems at home.
After an initial meet and greet session, the mentor uses worksheets to work through problems and identify goals and aspirations etc. After the 10 weeks programme, an evaluation form is completed by the young carer as well as the mentor.
The feedback provided by the mentor is held on the school file and identifies what issues were covered during the sessions, how supportive the school has been, and what, according to the mentor, the sessions have achieved for the young carer.
