Become a volunteer mentor

Support a young person aged 14–25 with their learning, confidence, and sense of belonging, by meeting for one hour a week in your local community.

Apply to become a volunteer mentor

Each year, around 200 mentoring pairs meet weekly – that’s more than 5,600 hours of one-to-one educational and wellbeing support.

What is educational mentoring?

Educational mentoring connects young refugees and asylum seekers who want to learn, with volunteers who want to help.

Apply to become a volunteer mentor

As a mentor, you are paired with a young person aged 14–25. You meet once a week for about an hour in a safe local space, such as a library or café. Together you:

  • work on homework and coursework

  • practise English

  • set goals, like passing an exam, or improving confidence with speaking

  • talk about next steps in education and life in the UK.

Over time, many mentors become trusted adults in a young person’s life – someone steady who listens, encourages and celebrates the wins.

“It is helpful to discuss English with my mentor. It is additional support outside of college. Before mentoring I had no confidence, now I have knowledge and confidence, so it gives me hope.”
— Young person on the programme

Is mentoring right for me?

You do not need to be a teacher or an expert. We’re looking for people who:

  • can commit to mentoring for at least six months;

  • can meet once a week for about an hour;

  • are patient, reliable and good at listening;

  • are willing to learn about the experiences of refugees and people seeking asylum.

We welcome volunteers from a wide range of ages, backgrounds and professions. Full training and ongoing support are provided.

If you are unsure whether you have the “right” skills, please get in touch – we would be happy to talk it through.

The difference mentoring makes

Educational mentoring helps young refugees to:

  • move forward in their education and reach their goals;

  • grow in confidence and wellbeing;

  • build connections in their local community.

Teachers and colleges often don’t have capacity to give refugee students the personalised support they need to really understand what they’re learning. Mentors help plug this gap.

It is also a two-way relationship. Many mentors tell us how much they value journeying with resilient young people through both the challenges and the celebrations.

Around 200 mentoring pairs meet every week across our hubs in London, Birmingham and Oxford.

Mentoring takes place in the cities where we currently have educational hubs:

  • North London

  • South London

  • East London

  • West London

  • Oxford

  • West Midlands (Birmingham)

You’ll usually meet your mentee at a safe, local community space such as a library or café.

We aren’t expanding hubs at present, but if you’d like to suggest a new area, please email hello@reuk.org

Where mentoring happens

Training and support for mentors

We take mentoring, safeguarding and support seriously. Before you begin, you will:

  • attend training on mentoring, boundaries and safeguarding;

  • learn about the UK education system and the experiences of young refugees;

  • complete the necessary checks and references.

Once you are matched, you will have:

  • a named local coordinator;

  • ongoing check-ins and opportunities to ask for advice;

  • practical resources to use in your sessions.

Our goal is that you feel confident, well-supported and never left to manage challenges on your own.

How to become a mentor

  1. Apply online. Complete our short application form.

  2. Have an informal conversation. We’ll talk with you about your motivations, experience and availability.

  3. Attend training and checks. We’ll invite you to a training session and complete the required safeguarding checks.

  4. Get matched. We’ll match you with a young person in your local hub, based on location, needs and your skills.

  5. Start mentoring. You’ll begin meeting weekly, with ongoing support from your coordinator.

Apply to become a volunteer mentor

Frequently asked questions

  • No. Many of our mentors are not teachers. We’ll provide training and resources and are here to support you.

  • Many mentors fit sessions around work or study. Most pairs meet after school, in the early evening or at the weekend.

  • We understand that life changes. If your circumstances shift, we’ll work with you and your mentee to find a good way forward.

  • Currently, mentoring mainly takes place in person in our hub cities. If we introduce more online mentoring in future, we’ll update this page.

Are you a teacher, social worker or support worker?

If you’d like to refer a young person for educational mentoring, or share more information about the programme with them: