Our projects
We encourage the growth and development of mentoring and befriending by sharing our expert knowledge to run projects, pilot schemes and by conducting research to support the implementation of mentoring and befriending across all areas of society.
We do this to find new areas and sectors where effective mentoring and befriending can be applied. And where they are already applied; we look to improve the processes involved, and outcomes and outputs achieved. We also test the viability of different mentoring and befriending models. If you’d like us to run a pilot or develop something with or for you, please contact a member of our business development team.
Some of our current projects are listed below. You can find out more about our past projects that we’ve been involved in too.
NOMS Volunteering and Mentoring Project
We are supporting the development of mentoring and volunteering services for offenders through improving the accessibility of information on quality-assured mentoring services in England and Wales.
The focal point of the project is the development of a hub of mentoring and volunteering information aimed at offenders (in prison and on probation), prison and probation staff, members of the public and voluntary organisations.
Funded by: NOMS (National Offender Management Service)
Timeline: November 2011 – March 2014
Read more about the NOMS Volunteering and Mentoring Project
Employee supported volunteering – Building a business case for mentoring
Quality mentoring programmes can offer employers flexible, diverse and sustainable employee volunteering opportunities which can develop employee skills and contribute to their corporate and social responsibility objectives.
We are gathering evidence from employees and employers who are formally working with local, regional or national mentoring projects. We also support organisations to set up employee supported mentoring and befriending projects.
Funded by: Office for Civil Society, Cabinet Office
Timeline: April 2011- March 2012
Read more about our work on employee supported volunteering
Employment mentoring project
We’ve partnered with Remploy to deliver a joint pilot project to examine how mentoring and befriending can support disabled or disadvantaged people into sustainable employment. The pilot project will initially be focused in the North West to test the benefits of using a more formalised approach to mentoring which if successful could be mainstreamed in other regions and included within the Work Programme.
Funded by: MBF and Remploy
Timeline: April 2011-TBC
Read more about our work on employment mentoring
Civil society peer mentoring programme
We’re running a pilot mentoring project across the North West region of England aimed at leaders and senior managers of civil society organisations.
Voluntary Sector North West are our official voluntary sector partner, alongside Yorkshire Bank and Co-operative Bank (part of the Co-operative Financial Services) who are our official business partners.
Funded by: MBF
Timeline: April 2011 – March 2012
Read more about the Civil society peer mentoring programme
National qualification in mentoring and befriending
We’re developing a national qualification in mentoring and befriending with Skills for Justice. The qualification will be available soon and will be based on the new National Occupational Standards in mentoring and befriending for offenders and will be part of the Qualifications and Curriculum Framework (QCF).
Funded by: Skills for Justice and MBF
Timeline: Ongoing
