mentoring

young refugees
Setting up mentoring schemes for young refugees in the UK
what is this
guide about?
introduction
This guide is an introduction to Young refugees in the UK
mentoring and befriending schemes for Young refugees arrive in the UK accompanied by family or another carer, or else
young refugees.1 Mentoring is commonly entirely alone.The total number of young refugees under 18 living in the UK is not
seen as a way of supporting young known. It is estimated that there are 82,000 refugee children in schools.2 There are
people to meet their education, training an estimated 6,750 unaccompanied children.3
and employment aspirations. Befriending
tends to concentrate more on supporting Many young refugees have experienced conflict and suffered trauma.They have fled
countries where major conflicts have taken place or where serious human rights
a young person emotionally, having
abuses occur, including Angola, Ethiopia, Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq.Young refugees
someone to talk to and have fun with. experience new difficulties on arrival in the UK, which may include the following
There is, however, much overlap between inter-related problems:
the two models and in this guide the
terms ‘mentoring’ and ‘mentor’ are also • living in poverty and having little or no money for social activities
used to describe ‘befriending’ schemes
and the role of the ‘befriender.’
• poor housing – often living in run down B&B and hostel accommodation

This guide provides a 10-step plan to

• emotional or mental health problems, such as loneliness or depression

setting up and running a mentoring • social isolation

scheme and also includes information on: • not speaking English

• young refugees and the difficulties • discrimination and racism

they face in the UK
• difficulties in accessing mainstream services, such as GPs or school
• the benefits of setting up a scheme and college places
for mentors, mentees and agencies
running schemes • confusing asylum application procedures, for example, dealing with
complicated appeals procedures
• the mentoring relationship
• separation from family and friends
• recruiting and training mentors
• living with parents or carers who may be experiencing emotional
• resources needed to set up a scheme problems themselves, which could increase the risk of family breakdown

• key contacts and further reading. • taking on adult responsibilities, such as translating for parents in their
contact with authorities.
This guide is for professionals who are
planning to, or are already undertaking,
work with young refugees, including:
• youth workers Mentoring schemes and young refugees
“It’s about helping young people live independently and access services” 4 [Youth Worker]
• social services staff
Mentoring has become an increasingly popular form of intervention with young
• mental health workers
people5 to ease the sometimes difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood.
• teachers and other professionals However, despite the many challenges facing young refugees, there is very little one-
working at schools and colleges to-one support and guidance available to them.6
• personal advisers at Connexions
The Department of Health recognises the importance of one-to-one support for
• youth offending officers unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and states: “given the nature of the situation
• voluntary agency staff, including unaccompanied children find themselves in… the appointment of an independent visitor
refugee agencies contracted to NASS. will be considered advisable”.7 Although this is advised in the Children Act (1989),
very few social services departments across the UK offer this type of support to
unaccompanied children.8 For children and young people in families there is no
such specific recognition or guidance from the Government.
how can mentoring help?
Having a mentor can help young refugees deal with Benefits for mentors
some of the difficulties they face. Specifically, it can
have the following benefits: • satisfaction of helping a young person
• receiving individual attention and having • increasing knowledge and understanding of
someone to talk to and share problems with issues facing young refugees and broadening
can help build a young person’s confidence and cultural understanding
reduce their loneliness and isolation • personal development through supporting a
young person
• having fun, for example, going to the cinema,
swimming, playing football or going on day trips, • acquiring new skills, for example, communication
can be a great release from the worries and skills.
responsibilities that many young refugees face

• receiving practical advice, for example, how to

Benefits for agencies running
apply for a training course or a job, help with
homework, preparing for an interview or the scheme
applying for a driving licence
• a cost-effective means of supporting socially
• maintaining cultural links with the young isolated young refugees and potentially
person’s country of origin can help deal with preventing problems in the future
issues of loss and identity
• greater awareness within agencies of the needs
• helping young people integrate with their of young refugees.This can lead to more interest
community and building their confidence by: in meeting their needs and an increase in
resources allocated to support them
– increasing access to local services, for
example, registering with the local library, • better networks with other agencies supporting
finding places with internet access, finding young refugees and greater awareness of
out about youth clubs or what local events agencies that are able to support young
are on refugees.
– gaining a better understanding of local culture
– improving English.

Hanna, aged 16, who had recently arrived in the UK, was very depressed, hardly
ever left the house and was not interested in joining a group run specifically
for young female refugees. In May 2002, Hanna was paired with a mentor. Her
situation improved rapidly after this. Hanna started going to college, and found
a circle of friends.

In September 2002, Hanna decided that she no longer needed the support of
a mentor.The mentor has now been matched with someone else.
10-step g
It can take six months or more to get a project 2 Recruit project worker
up and running, from project planning stage to
matching mentors with young people.Given the A scheme aiming to recruit 12 or more mentors will need a
time needed to set it up, the project should aim full-time worker responsible for the day-to-day running of
to run for at least two years. the project. In order to work effectively with both mentors
and mentees the project worker will need to have a good
understanding of the issues facing young refugees, as well as
l Project planning interpersonal, listening and negotiation skills, and experience
of training and facilitating meetings.The project worker will
Decide the aims of the group.What does the organisation be responsible for the majority of activities identified in
seek to gain by using mentors and how will it help mentees? steps 3 to 10.
Who is it targeting? All young refugees? Or a particular
group of young refugees, such as young people without
families, younger or older children, or young people who 3 Recruit and induct mentors
are especially vulnerable – such as those with emotional It takes at least three months to recruit and induct mentors.
or mental health problems? Consider which other This process will need to include the following stages (see
agencies should be involved in the scheme – either through overleaf for more information):
participating in a steering group and/or being a referral agency.
Advertise Introductory open evening Applications
▲

▲
and interview process A series of induction training
▲

Clear direction workshops Screening and police checks Final offers

▲

▲
The steering group of the youth mentoring scheme for made and volunteer contracts signed.
young refugees in Oxford, which meets every month, has
been very hands-on in developing this project.They design
and deliver the training programme for mentors; refer
4 Identify potential mentees
clients to the scheme; and support and advise mentors. This needs to be done simultaneously with step 3 to ensure
mentees are available to be matched as soon as the mentor
recruitment process has been completed.There are a
Getting together a group of people who work with young
number of ways to identify potential mentees. For example,
refugees and have a vested interested in the mentoring
referrals could be invited from a number of agencies working
scheme working can provide valuable guidance to the
with young refugees in the area, based on a quota system
project. Professionals are likely to want to be involved as
and agreed criteria.Alternatively, referrals may all be made
many will be frustrated by the lack of time they are able to
within the organisation running the scheme. For example,
give to their individual clients and may see the mentoring
a mentoring project run by a mental health agency may
scheme as a way of providing this much needed support with
choose to offer mentor support to their clients only.
relatively little input from themselves.A steering group needs
a clear terms of reference with specific activities assigned It is crucial that young people are able to make an informed
to it. Members could include representatives from local choice about whether they want to have a mentor or not.
voluntary or community organisations, social services, mental Mentoring is a difficult concept to explain and may seem like
health services, residential homes, Connexions, schools or an odd idea. Professionals responsible for referring young
colleges, the youth service and/or the youth offending team. people to the scheme will need to spend time explaining
what mentoring is and what it means in practice. Prepare
uideleaflets in different languages that clearly explain what
to setting up and running
a mentoring scheme

6 Set goals
mentoring is. Set up an introductory session for young
refugees interested in joining the scheme where they Once the relationship is established it is useful to set goals
can find out more. If possible invite young people who based on the young person’s needs. For example, if the young
have experienced mentoring to the session to talk about person has only recently arrived, then a goal might be for
what it means in reality.The drop-out rate of young the young person to get to know the local area better and
people will be much lower if they have a clear idea of be aware of local services they can access. Goals should
what mentoring involves. regularly be checked to see if they are being met or are still
relevant. Establishing goals will help mentors and mentees
decide what activities to do on a weekly basis.This will also
5 Match mentors and mentees help to measure how useful the mentoring relationship is
There are two key issues to consider when making a match and will help highlight when the relationship is no longer
– what the young person wants from a mentor and if the necessary or useful.
mentor has a preference for who they are matched with.
For example, some mentors may feel better able or more 7 Support mentors
interested in being matched with a younger rather than older
teenager or vice versa. Ideally, someone who knows both the Being a mentor can often be a difficult job. Mentors need
young person and mentor well should be involved in the substantial support and as a minimum this support should
matching process. If this is not possible then it should at least include: a weekly phone call from the project worker to
involve someone who knows the young person well, usually discuss how the weekly meeting with the mentee went;
the referral agency, and someone who knows the mentor face-to-face supervision every 6–8 weeks; and regular support
well, usually the scheme project worker. meetings involving all mentors for them to share their suc-
cesses, personal emotions, dilemmas and concerns. It is also
Once an initial match has been made, a meeting involving the useful for mentors to have contact with professionals who
young person, mentor, project worker and referral agency are supporting the young person they are mentoring, such as
needs to be arranged. Other people supporting the young their social worker. However, the young person, must be able
person could also be invited to the meeting, for example, to feel sure that their confidentiality agreement stands (see
family members or social workers.The first meeting can be overleaf for more information on confidentiality agreements).
daunting for the mentee and mentor and they will both need
support before, during and after the meeting to help them One of the main barriers to establishing a good relationship
establish a relationship. Language can be a particular barrier in the first instance is the difficulty that mentors have in
to gaining a rapport at the early stages of the relationship and contacting mentees to set up meetings.Young refugees often
training for mentors on communicating with people who do get moved from place to place and their contact details
not speak much English is essential (see training mentors change.Young people who have access to a phone (usually
section). a mobile phone) often cannot afford to pay for top-up
vouchers and so find it difficult to keep in contact with
If there are difficulties in matching mentors and mentees people.The project worker needs to keep the mentors
straight away then it is important to keep both parties up-to-date with any changes in circumstance and may need
up-to-date with why they have not been matched and when to help the mentor keep in touch with the young person.
they can expect this to happen. A good way of maintaining In turn, referral agencies need to keep the project worker
the momentum of mentors is to have ongoing support up-to-date with any changes affecting the young person
meetings and training sessions until a match is made. they referred.

…
 …10-step guide
8 Provide advice It is essential that mentees’ views about the scheme are sought
in order to ensure it is meeting their needs. On a day-to-day
Mentees will often have problems they need help dealing with. basis this will be through the activities they choose to do with
For example, a young person may get refused refugee status, their mentors.A complaints procedure should also be
they may be being bullied at school or have difficulty accessing established that young people are aware of and feel
benefits. Mentors may not be equipped to deal with these comfortable using.
problems, or it may go beyond the boundaries of their role as
mentor. Mentors should be able to seek help from the project There are a number of ways young people can have an input at
worker to find out the most appropriate form of action.The a more strategic level. One option is setting up a young
project worker will need a good signposting system and need person’s steering group.This option is more feasible once there
to know of organisations that are able to support the young is a cohort of young people who have been through the
people with their particular problems. scheme who are more likely to be interested and feel
confident in giving advice on how to run a scheme.The second
option is to get advice from established young refugee groups
9 Monitoring and evaluation on how they would like to see a mentoring scheme develop.
The third option is to get regular feedback from mentees,
Monitoring and evaluation is important for any project and through discussions with mentors, with the project worker and
provides information that can be used to make the scheme during group meetings.
more effective in the future, provides evidence of the value
of mentoring and is a way to promote the success of the
scheme.There are a number of ongoing monitoring and 10 Ending the mentoring relationship
evaluation techniques that can be incorporated into the It is difficult to set a specific time on how long a mentor/
scheme: mentee relationship should last.The scheme needs to have
a flexible approach, based on the individuals involved in each
• Keep records on each relationship.This will help monitor
relationship. Some relationships may last a long time and
both quantitative outputs, such as the number of
continue well after input from the scheme.Young people
relationships and how long they lasted, and qualitative
in their early teens may want to have a longer mentoring
information about the impact of each relationship.
relationship than those in their late teens, whose lives are
• Setting goals for the mentor/mentee meetings will likely to be changing more rapidly.
help in measuring the overall impact of the project
Both mentor and mentee have the right to end the
on young refugees. relationship at any time. Some relationships will come to
• Quarterly group meetings with mentors and mentees a planned or natural ending, either because the need for a
will provide an opportunity for getting feedback from mentor is no longer there or the relationship did not work.
all participants. It will also give the project worker the Some will come to a less natural ending, for example,
opportunity to observe how relationships are through the young person being dispersed or deported, or
progressing. the mentor being unable to continue for personal reasons.
Whatever the circumstances, the mentor and mentee
• Regular monitoring through the professional steering should be offered support during the final stages of their
group. relationship, which can often be emotionally difficult for one
or both parties.
the mentoring Adults as befrienders
The Medical Foundation for the Care of
Victims of Torture, based in London, runs

relationship a befriending scheme for young separated

refugees.The young people are all clients
of the Medical Foundation and have
experienced or witnessed political
violence.The project currently has 19
adult volunteers, each matched up with
Three of the most commonly used models for developing a one young person.The pair meet once a
mentor–mentee relationship are: week at a mutually agreed place.The
• a one-to-one relationship between an adult mentor and befrienders support the young people in
young mentee many ways, for example, helping to get
college places, making links with their
• an adult mentor and a number of young mentees, where communities and going on outings
the mentor meets with the young people together or together.This scheme, which has been
individually running for over two years, focuses on
• a one-to-one peer relationship between a young mentor helping young people over a long period.
and young mentee. Most of the volunteers recruited in the
first year of the project have been
Mentors usually meet with mentees alone at a mutually agreed matched with the same young person for
place on a weekly basis.Alternatively, mentors and mentees may over a year now. The scheme is currently
meet up as a group. funded by the Diana, Princess of Wales
Clearly stated boundaries are essential in mentoring work to Memorial Fund.
create a safe and dependable basis on which the mentoring
relationship can develop.Agreeing boundaries helps both
parties know where they stand on issues of confidentiality,
conduct and working limits. For example, time boundaries are
needed: mentors need to show the mentee respect by being Young people as
reliable and consistent about timing, frequency and regularity befrienders
of meetings .
The Befriending of Unaccompanied
A confidentiality policy will need to be established for the Minors project (BUMP) in the West
scheme which clearly sets out do’s and don’ts. For example, Midlands has trained seven young people,
mentors should share with a designated person or line aged between 18 and 25, as befrienders.
manager in the project concerns they might have about what Some of the befrienders are refugees
the mentee has disclosed. However, the mentor should not themselves. Fourteen young refugees aged
reveal personal information about the mentee to anyone between 14 and 18 have been matched
outside the project – except in specific child protection cases, with a befriender – the befriender is
where procedures under the child protection policy would take matched with two young people at any
precedence.A confidentiality agreement between mentor and one time, and they meet once a week in
mentee should be set up.Advice on setting boundaries and a group setting.The purpose of BUMP is
confidentiality issues should be a core part of the mentoring to provide opportunities for young
training (see overleaf). separated refugees to overcome isolation,
help their mental well-being and develop
language skills to help them to integrate
and become independent.Young people
are referred from social services,
residential homes and refugee community
organisations.The project is a partnership
between the British Red Cross and Save
the Children.
recruiting & training mentors
Recruiting Application process

Profile of mentors The application process should be similar to any other

recruitment process.The only difference to a normal
What type of mentors does the scheme want to recruit? Would recruitment procedure is after the interview stage. Candidates
young people prefer to be matched to someone nearer their who are considered potential mentors from the interview stage
own age or someone older? Would they prefer to be mentored should not be offered a job of mentor before successfully
by a refugee, who is likely to have a better understanding of completing the training programme and police check (see
what they are going through as a result of their own personal below). It is often during the training programme that potential
experiences? Or, is it more important to have a mentor with a mentors reveal personal issues or characteristics that do not sit
good knowledge of the local area? In which case being matched comfortably with the role of a mentor.
with a British-born local mentor might be more appropriate.
At the time when mentors are being recruited it is unlikely that Mentoring skills
mentees will have already been referred to the scheme. Find There are a core set of attributes that candidates should be
out from potential mentees whether there is consensus on the assessed against during the application, interview and training
ideal profile of a mentor or if it varies according to individuals’ induction process:
preferences and needs.Also getting input from a range of
professionals working with young refugees will help make this • Commitment and perseverance – a mentor should make
decision and could be one of the first tasks put to the steering a commitment to the scheme of at least one year – young
group (see step 1). refugees will have experienced a lot of instability in their lives
and so it is important that a mentor is able to offer support
To help prevent applications from individuals who may place over a significant period of time. It will take time to establish
children and young people at risk, it is fundamental that child a comfortable relationship and may feel very one-way at the
protection procedures are adhered to at all stages of the beginning. Mentors need to persevere to see this through.
recruitment process, including advertising for mentors, assessing
applications, interviewing and getting references. Organisations • Experience of supporting young people, either at home or
running mentoring schemes should have child protection policies work
that include a specific section on mentors. • Ability to work in a non-judgemental manner

Advertising • Ability to empathise with the client group and be willing to

understand the issues affecting young refugees
The experience of established mentoring schemes for young
refugees indicates there is no shortage of potential mentors. • Ability to work within the policies and procedures of the
However, in order to recruit mentors who are appropriate to organisation.
the scheme, advertising needs to be targeted. Consider placing
ads in free local newspapers, and in newsletters and on notice- Screening and police checking
boards at libraries, universities, local shops, churches, mosques, This is a way of reducing the risk of recruiting volunteers who
refugee community organisations, and voluntary agencies, such may be unsuitable to work with children or young people.
as the local volunteer bureau, Red Cross and STAR (see back However, no screening is foolproof – 90 per cent of child sex
page).Word of mouth is also effective, as is outreach work, for offenders have no criminal record and even those that do may
example, through presentations at community meetings. avoid detection by giving a different name.9 Police checks are
only one part of child protection procedures of any agency
Introductory meeting working with children.
Before starting the applications process it is useful to have an Police checks (now called ‘disclosures’ to make the process less
introductory meeting with prospective mentors.This meeting threatening to individuals being checked) are managed by the
should explain exactly what being a mentor entails – invite Criminal Records Bureau (see back page for details).A useful
current mentors along so that potential mentors can find information sheet on screening, disclosures and the role of the
out the reality of becoming a mentor.This will help potential Criminal Records Bureau is available from the National Centre
applicants make an informed choice as to whether they would for Volunteering (see further reading section). Disclosure checks
like to proceed with the application process. on refugees who have not been in the country for long will be
insufficient evidence on which to decide whether it is safe for A typical induction training programme:
them to have unsupervised access with a young person. In
these instances alternative approaches to screening will need understanding issues faced by young refugees
to be adopted, or a scheme designed that does not involve
unsupervised access.A sensitive approach to undertaking • Introduction to refugee issues – legislation, definitions, legal
checks will be required. processes

Disclosure checks should be done at the earliest opportunity • The local situation – numbers of young refugees, challenges
as they can take some time to come through (at the time of and difficulties facing young refugees
writing police checks were taking at least 12 weeks to come • Support to young refugees – social services, voluntary
through). If this is left until after the training is complete it agencies, etc.
could cause delays in matching up mentors with mentees.
• Emotional and mental health of young refugees

Training programme the role of the mentor

Training is best done in the evening and/or at weekends when • The mentoring process and mentoring skills – what is a
participants are more likely to be available. mentor? what is appropriate behaviour? responsibilities and
boundaries; confidentiality; child protection procedures
The whole programme will take approximately 24 hours to
complete.The training could take place over three or four full • Planning and evaluation – setting goals, reviews and
days or could be spread out over a longer period, such as eight evaluation
workshops lasting three or four hours each. • Beginning, maintaining and ending the mentoring
It is important to get the balance of information right. Do relationship
not look in too much depth at problems and issues faced by • Practicalities – paperwork, arranging meetings, expense
refugees, as this may put people off and make them feel claims
daunted by the prospect of mentoring someone who
potentially faces so many difficulties. During the training • A real mentor – opportunity to meet current mentors
emphasise that mentors are not expected to be experts
attitudes and skills
in refugee issues. It is also important to be clear about the
boundaries of the mentor role. • Working with young people – examining assumptions and
prejudices about young people; discuss what participants
A core part of the mentor training needs to include awareness
were like as teenagers
raising of child protection issues and procedures.
Self-exploration is a critical part of the training – trainee • Cultural differences, values and attitudes – explore how
people often make assumptions based on cultural
mentors should learn not just from the trainers but also from
differences – how to encourage a non-judgemental and
each other. Experiential, hands-on training works best in this
open-minded approach
context. Participants of previous refugee mentoring training
programmes have particularly enjoyed role-plays or learning • Awareness of the different life experiences and cultural
from case studies.Training is a good opportunity for mentors backgrounds of young refugees
to bond with one another. It provides a good foundation from
which to establish the monthly mentor support meetings. • Awareness of child protection issues

Many existing schemes for young refugees have tailored • Communication and listening skills – the importance
of good communication skills; techniques to aid
training programmes and application procedures that they are
communication; active listening skills; body language;
willing to share with organisations planning to set up similar
questioning techniques
schemes. See back page for contact details.
• Motivating young people

• Dealing with challenging situations

how much does it cost?
Mentoring is a cost-effective way of supporting More information on eligible criteria and
young refugees. It costs approximately £40,000 a application dates will be available at the following
year to run a project with a full-time worker, plus website:
overheads (eg, management and administrative www.homeoffice.gov.uk/acu/capital_mentoring_
support, office space and utilities).10 Apart from the grants.htm
worker’s salary, costs included in the £40,000 figure Other website: www.volcomgrants.gov.uk
include mentor and mentee expenses, training,
Tel: 020 7217 8355
refreshments and translation costs.This amount
would cover the costs of matching between 12 The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund
and 24 mentors with between 12 and 50 young UK grants are aimed at projects working with
people per year.The number of mentees accessing young people aged between 12 and 25. Refugees
the project will depend on what the project is and asylum-seekers are a priority group.There
seeking to achieve, the length of each relationship are two rounds of funding each year. Deadlines
and the time it takes to match up mentors with for applications in 2003 are in March and July.
young people. Website: www.theworkcontinues.org
If 24 young people are matched with a mentor and Tel: 020 7902 5500
they spend two hours per week together, this gives
Camelot Foundation
a total of 48 hours contact time per week. It would
Camelot’s objective is to support work aimed
take at least two full-time outreach workers to
at bringing marginalised young people into the
provide this level of direct support – double the
mainstream of UK life. It supports work with
staff costs of a mentoring scheme.
young people aged 11–25.Young asylum-seekers
There are various funders interested in financing are a priority group.
mentoring schemes and/or projects to support Webiste: www.camelotfoundation.org.uk
young refugees. Here are details of some.
Email: info@camelotfoundation.org.uk
Tel: 020 7828 6085
potential funders Community Fund
The Community Fund’s main aim is to help meet
Please note that each funder has specific criteria the needs of those at greatest disadvantage in
that they use to assess applications. For example, society and to improve the quality of life in the
some funders will only give to registered charities. community.
You need to contact each funder separately to find
Website: www.community-fund.org.uk
out if your organisation and project idea meet their
specific criteria. Email: enquiries@communityfund.org.uk
Tel: 020 7747 5300
Active Community Unit – Mentoring Capital
Grant Scheme Comic Relief
The Active Community Unit, Home Office, plans Currently reviewing its grant aims for 2003/05.
to run a mentoring capital grant round in 2003/04. Website: www.comicrelief.co.uk
Total funds available are £600,000. Bids will be Email: red@comicrelief.org.uk
considered for capital purchases to support
projects in the delivery of voluntary mentoring Tel: 020 7820 5555
schemes outside schools. See also websites section on back page for funding
information services.
potential trainers
Refugee Council
The Refugee Council runs a series of seminars
across the UK for people working with refugees and
asylum-seekers. Each one-day seminar aims to bring
service providers up-to-date on one of the following
areas: asylum support, the NASS system, unaccompa-
nied children, healthcare, further education/training
needs, delivering ESOL and widening participation of
asylum-seekers and refugees.
Website: www.refugeecouncil.org.uk further reading
Email: marketing@refugeecouncil.org.uk
Tel:Tony Coleman,Training Co-ordinator, Cold Comfort:Young separated refugees in England, Kate
Stanley, Save the Children, 2001. Research with young separated
020 7820 3049 refugees in England and professionals working with them. Includes
chapters on support and social networks.
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of
£7.50.To order a copy contact Plymbridge distributors,
Torture tel: 01752 202 301 or email: orders@plymbridge.com
The Medical Foundation provides training on
working with survivors of torture and organised Series of short guides on working with young refugees,
violence. Available to voluntary organisations, Save the Children, published between September 2002 and March
refugee community organisations and statutory 2003.The guides are on: working with unaccompanied asylum-
seeking children at ports of entry; setting up young refugee
agencies. groups; mental health support; providing social services support to
Tel: 020 7813 7777 young refugees where there are small numbers; providing advocacy
support to young refugees; and a guide to help personal advisers
Refugee Education Training and Advisory working at Connexions to support young refugees.
Service Free.To order and reserve copies contact
Elli Free on 020 8741 4054 x 124.
Provides training and guidance on educational
entitlements and access for young reguees and
Screening and Police Checking information sheet on
asylum-seekers. screening volunteers and police checking. Free. For a copy
Tel: Nick Lawson on 020 742 85815 of the information sheet, contact The National Centre for
Volunteering on 020 7520 8900
National Children’s Bureau
Occassional training days on mentoring children Edinburgh Homeless Project – Mentor Training Pack This
and young people – training for trainers. training pack covers areas such as listening/communication skills,
goal setting and action planning, dealing with challenging mentoring
Website: www.ncb.org.uk/events situations and motivation.The training pack is useful when training
mentors for any vulnerable client group.
£5. Contact Ros Nixon on 0131 469 3381
or email ros.nixon@educ.edin.gov.uk

Child Abuse – signs and symptoms, Kidscape, 2001. A useful

leaflet on descriptions of signs of sexual, physical and emotional
abuse and neglect.
Phone: 020 7730 3300 or access from the internet at
www.kidscape.org.uk
key contacts
Includes information on all relevant Acts and

SAVE THE CHILDREN REGISTERED CHARITY NO. 213890

existing mentoring and National Mentoring Network
Exists to help support the growth of mentoring legislation on screening and police checks. It also
befriending schemes in its various forms. Its aims are to: promote includes registration forms and information about
the development of mentoring; offer advice and training events.
Oxford Youth Service
support to those wishing to set up or develop www.crb.gov.uk
Refugee and Asylum Seeker Project (RAAS)
mentoring programmes; and provide a forum for
Contact: Ruth Bryant, tel: 01865 848181 the exchange of information and good practice. Kidscape
or email Ruth.Bryant@btinternet.com A national charity dedicated to preventing bullying
Tel: 0161 787 8600
and child sexual abuse. Kidscape provides training
Medical Foundation for the Victims of or email natment@globalnet.co.uk
and produces publications. A useful leaflet on
Torture ‘Child abuse – signs and symptoms’ can be
The National Centre for Volunteering
Befriending Project accessed from the website.
For information on the Criminal Records
Contact: Rona Weitz or Maire Stedman, Bureau, how the Human Rights and Data www.kidscape.org.uk
tel: 020 7813 9999 or email Protection Acts affect volunteers, or advice
befriending@toturecare.org.uk on writing a confidentiality policy, www.access-funds.co.uk
email: Information@thecentre.org.uk Provides the latest funding information from
Birmingham British Red Cross and central government, National Lottery, devolved
or ring the free helpline on 0800 028 3304.
Save the Children government bodies, EU and quangos.
Befriending Unaccompanied Minors Project STAR

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 2002

(BUMP) A national network of young people who campaign www.volcomgrants.gov.uk
for refugee rights, raise awareness of refugee issues A pilot government website that provides
Contact: Caitlin Bush, tel: 0121 772 3175
and practically support refugees in their local area information for voluntary and community
or email cbush@redcross.org.uk
(including mentoring). If you want to find out if organisations on the grants available from
Kent British Red Cross STAR members are interested in becoming men- four government departments – Home Office,
Canterbury Helping Unaccompanied Minors tors in your area call the National Co-ordinator, Department for Education and Skills, Department
Scheme (CHUMS) Ruth Pryce, on 020 7840 4442 or email for Transport, Local Government and the Regions
Contact:Wendy Solesbury, tel: 01622 690 011 info@STAR-network.org.uk and Department of Health.

Croydon British Red Cross

Refugees’n’ Befriending (R’n’B)
Contact: currently recruiting new notes
project co-ordinator.Tel: 07736 116417
1 In this guide the term ‘refugee’ is used to describe
SOVA people seeking asylum, as well as those with leave to
‘Plethu – Refugees in Wales’ Mentoring Scheme remain, including Exceptional Leave to Remain and
in Cardiff, refugee status.
Contact: Anne Hubbard, tel: 029 2049 5281 2 Greater London Authority, Sold Short: Educational
useful websites finance and refugee children, 2002
3 Research Development Statistics, Home Office, Asylum
Refugee Council Statistics United Kingdom, 2001
general information for training programme information and up-to-date
4 Save the Children, Evaluation Report Youth Mentoring
information on refugee issues
Save the Children England Programme Scheme, Oxford, 2002, not published
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk
Young Separated Refugees Project – England-wide 5 Philip and Hendry, Journal of Adolesence, ‘Young people
project, tel: 020 8741 4054 x 124 Save the Children and mentoring – towards a typology?’ 1996
information on refugee resources and other 6 K. Stanley, Save the Children, Cold Comfort:Young
London Team, tel: 020 8741 4054
Save the Children activities separated refugees in England, 2001
North West Team, tel: 0161 434 8337
Yorkshire and Humberside, tel: 0113 242 4844 www.savethechildren.org.uk 7 K. Stanley, Save the Children, Cold Comfort:Young
North East Team, tel: 0191 222 1816 separated refugees in England, 2001
National Mentoring Network
West Midlands Team, tel: 0121 555 8888 8 K. Stanley, Save the Children, Cold Comfort:Young
exists to help support the growth of mentoring
Save the Children Scotland Programme separated refugees in England, 2001
in its various forms
For information on Save the Children 9 Screening and Police Checking, National Centre for
www.nmn.org.uk
activities on working with young refugees Volunteering information Sheet
in Scotland contact: Susan Fisher, The National Centre for Volunteering
10 Detailed breakdown of cost: full-time project worker –
7th Floor, Haymarket House, 8 Clifton Terrace, on-line resource for volunteer managers, potential £27,000; mentor and mentee expenses (including activities)
Edinburgh EH12 5DR;Tel: 0131 527 8200, or volunteers and anyone seeking up-to-date – £8,000; refreshments and other ad hoc costs – £500;
Richard Morran, Ingram House, Glasgow G1 1DA; information on volunteering translation costs for young people’s leaflet into eight
Tel: 0141 248 4345, www.volunteering.org.uk languages – £2,500; training costs – £1,000; evaluation
Website:www.savethechildrenscot.org.uk costs – £1,000.
Criminal Records Bureau

Supported by: Local contact details: