How we can help

There are three distinct strands of the Barnardo’s ESOL mentoring project:-

• Befriending mentoring
• Vocational mentoring (varied vocations)
• Vocational mentoring (specifically for mentees who want to become teachers)

The scheme depends on reliable, engaging and competent volunteer mentors who support residents to acquire generic and vocationally specific English language skills and facilitate their engagement with other relevant services and agencies.  Volunteers work with matched residents and identify individual learning outcomes and support and formally track progress.

There are two full time volunteer co-ordinators responsible for recruiting, training and managing volunteer mentors who are interested in using their cultural and professional experiences in the UK to support individuals from within BME communities.  Mentors are matched to residents based upon their needs and an individually tailored approach enables each mentee to fulfil their full potential.  Mentors focus on empowering and supporting residents to increase confidence, develop understanding of UK recruitment processes, job application and interview techniques and vocationally specific language, context and culture.

In return mentors are offered regular training and support sessions from the volunteer co-ordinators and other agencies with ESOL experience