Bromley Mentoring Initiative
Interested in taking part in mentoring?
Are you seeking a flexible and fulfilling way to make difference in your community? Join us as a volunteer mentor and help transform the lives of young people from the borough.
The Bromley Mentoring Initiative (BMI), as part of the London Borough of Bromley, recruit, train, and support adult volunteer mentors from all walks of life to mentor young people who need a role model to meet with them for one hour per week to support, encourage, and create the space they need for change and development.
Mentoring young people in the borough is different from training or teaching and does not require you to be an expert. Instead, our mentors lend an ear to their mentees, provide encouragement and motivation, and help guide them towards routes and actions to continue their growth and development towards a brighter future.
Being a mentor
Becoming a mentor can be a great way to improve your leadership and communication skills, gain confidence and self-awareness, while also experiencing personal growth through exposure to different perspectives. Mentors will not only receive training and valuable learning experiences to add to their CV, they will also feel a sense of purpose through giving back and investing in the success of young people from the borough.
You will learn and experience:
- Personal growth
- Professional development of communication and problem-solving skills
- Sense of fulfilment from contributing to the local community
- Learning experiences by helping a young person through a critical stage of life
What is it like being a mentor?
Read stories from four of our volunteer mentors talking about their experiences and motivations for becoming mentors.
Being a mentee
Our volunteer mentors are kind and empathetic and are trained and supported by our team. They come from all walks of life and want to be there for you and provide support.
When you are matched with a mentor, they will:
Meet with you each week for an hour (typically meeting at school)
Listen and discuss anything you want to talk about
Discuss your ambitions, hopes, or worries with you
Provide encouragement and guidance to help you achieve your goals
Training and support for mentors
Full training is provided for mentors to ensure they feel confident about their role. Initial training is a one-day session, but in some circumstances additional training may need to be undertaken.
Regular support meetings are also organised so that mentors can meet and share good practice.
Quotes from young people involved in the mentoring initiative
‘It (mentoring) has made me realise the importance of education at young age and the advantages it will bring later.’
‘I enjoyed the experience of mentoring and believe it has helped me.’ ‘He (mentor) is sound.’
‘I like having a mentor because it gives you someone to talk about school with.’
Quotes from Mentors involved in the mentoring initiative
‘It’s great seeing young people achieve and appreciate having a mentor’
‘A positive for me has been seeing the young person’s ideas and aspirations become clearer to them’
‘Learning more about myself through conversations with young people’
‘Mentoring provides the feel-good factor’
Contact Bromley Mentoring Initiative to get involved
Email: mentoring@bromley.gov.uk
Telephone: 020 8461 6240