Training

Our national training programme was launched in 2007 to help increase the quality and effectiveness of mentoring and befriending. Our training prices are banded to ensure they’re available for everyone and are structured around two levels:

• Level one is our “Getting started“ range of courses which are aimed at those who are new or have limited experience of mentoring and befriending
• Level two is our “Developing people and projects“ range of courses which are aimed at those with some experience of mentoring and befriending and looking to develop their skills and knowledge

All of our trainers have extensive mentoring and befriending experience. And all courses have been designed to help your project achieve Approved Provider Standard accreditation.

Read about what people have to say about our training

Deal of the month – January 2012

Each month we will offer a ‘Deal of the month’ discount, this month’s offer* is:

• Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part B– Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how to capture evidence of this? - £100 (saving up to £150)**
  London 1st February, Manchester 21st March, Birmingham 28th June

**When booking insert special offer code DM03. Deal of the month rate  includes all pricing bands, and is applicable until 31st January 2012.

“Getting started” package

If you are setting up or developing a mentoring and befreinding project, we would recommend that you attend the following package of “Getting started” courses*:

• UPDATED – Setting up and managing a mentoring and befriending project; Part A and B (2 days) OR NEW – Setting up a peer mentoring or peer support programme in schools and colleges (1 day)
• UPDATED – Training your volunteer mentors and befrienders; Part A (1 day) OR NEW – Training your peer mentors or peer supporters in schools and colleges (1 day)
• NEW – Monitoring and evaluating outcomes in mentoring and befriending; Part A and B (2 days)

In order to make these courses accessible, we offer them around the country and as a package of 5 (or 4 courses for the peer support route) courses which qualify for a 30% discount if booked together* (Discount code: GS01).  This could save you up to £360 and take care of your training and personal development requirements for the full year.  You will also receive 3 free toolkits and resources*** by attending these courses.

*** We are currently developing a new range of toolkits some of which are still in production. If available the toolkits will be given out on the day of training, but if unavailable they will be forwarded on at a later date. See course trainer for more details.

You can search for dates and locations below.

Other training special offers

In response to our members feedback regarding the current funding environment, we have put together the following discount packages*:

• 20% discount for APS accredited or working towards projects (saving up to £48)
• 20% discount when 2 courses booked together (saving up to £96) Discount code: 2courses01
• 20% on Part B courses if you have previously attended Part A Discount code: PartA

*Only one offer available per booking.  To take advantage of our special offers please enter relevant discount code on the booking form.

You can search for dates and locations below.

In house or bespoke training service

If one of our open courses isn’t suitable, maybe our in-house or bespoke training service is? We can deliver one of our open courses at a time and place to suit you or we could develop one to meet your exact requirements.

If you have any training related questions or queries, please contact one of our training co-ordinators, Paul Wainhouse (north) or Rachel Nicholson (south) or call 03300 882877.

 

All training

• Monitoring and evaluating of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part A*

  8th February, Manchester Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how you can capture evidence of this?

• Advanced skills for trainers of mentors and befrienders - Part B

  23rd February, Manchester Skilled and effective mentors and befrienders use a range of tools and techniques that enable them to assist the growth and development of others. Mentors and befrienders work with a range of service users, so which ones are appropriate and how do they work?

• Setting up and managing an ‘on-line’ mentoring or befriending scheme

  28th February, Manchester In our digital age, the interest and growth of ‘e-mentoring’ and ‘e-befriending’ is increasing and has a wide appeal. How does it work, when does it work best and how does it fit alongside traditional face-to-face mentoring or befriending?

• Setting up and managing a successful mentoring or befriending programme: Part A*

  29th February, London Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme?  Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?

• Training volunteer mentors and befrienders - Part A

  1st March, Birmingham How do you prepare volunteers for their mentoring and befriending role? What are the essential skills and knowledge required of an effective mentor and befriender?

• Funding your mentoring or befriending project: how to develop high quality applications

  6th March, Birmingham Funding your project is a significant challenge in an increasingly competitive environment. How can you ensure that your application stands out and meets the needs of your service users and the funder?

• Training peer mentors and other peer ‘supporters’ in schools and colleges*

  14th March, Manchester Good practice dictates that peer mentors and other peer ‘supporters’ in schools and colleges should be trained to undertake their specific roles. Do you know what is required or the most appropriate delivery methods?

• Telephone befriending: How to set up a programme and prepare volunteers for their roles

  15th March, London Are you planning to set up a befriending scheme where relationships will be developed over the telephone?  Do you know what is involved and how to prepare volunteers for their unique roles?

• Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part A*

  20th March, London Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how you can capture evidence of this?

• Deal of the month £100 - Monitoring and evaluating of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part B*

  21st March, Manchester Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how to capture evidence of this?

• Safeguarding and risk management: developing a safety management framework for mentoring and befriending

  22nd March, London What does safeguarding mean within the context of mentoring and befriending? How does it relate to the organisation, staff, volunteers and service users and how can you ensure you are running a safe project?

• Setting up peer mentoring or other peer support programmes in schools and colleges

  22nd March, Manchester In peer support schemes, students are trained to help other students. How do these schemes help to address issues around transition; achievement; behaviour; aspirations or time management?  What model of peer support would best meet the needs of your students and organisation?

• Engaging with employers to support your mentoring or befriending programme

  27th March, London Developing links with employers can add real value to your mentoring or befriending programme. Do you know in what ways they can support your programme or what is involved in developing a successful partnership for mutual benefit?

• Setting up and managing a successful mentoring or befriending programme: Part B*

  28th March, London Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme? Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?

• Advanced skills for trainers of mentors or befrienders - Part B

  29th March, London Skilled and effective mentors and befrienders use a range of tools and techniques that enable them to assist the growth and development of others. Mentors and befrienders work with a range of service users, so which ones are appropriate and how do they work?

• Training volunteer mentors and befrienders - Part A

  19th April, London How do you prepare volunteers for their mentoring and befriending role? What are the essential skills and knowledge required of an effective mentor and befriender?

• Advanced skills for trainers of mentors and befrienders - Part B

  26th April, Birmingham How do you prepare mentors and befrienders for their role?  What are the essential skills and knowledge they will need?

• Safeguarding and risk management: developing a safety management framework for mentoring and befriending

  2nd May, Birmingham What does safeguarding mean within the context of mentoring and befriending? How does it relate to the organisation, staff, volunteers and service users and how can you ensure you are running a safe project?

• Setting up and managing an 'on-line' mentoring or befriending scheme

  3rd May, Birmingham In 2010 we carried out a successful national campaign ‘Supporting life’s Journeys’ to raise the profile of mentoring and befriending across the UK. Do you want to build on the success of the campaign’s key messages and learn how to raise the profile of your project locally?

• Funding your mentoring or befriending project: how to develop high quality applications

  8th May, London Funding your project is a significant challenge in an increasingly competitive environment. How can you ensure that your application stands out and meets the needs of your service users and the funder?

• Setting up peer mentoring or other peer support programmes in schools and colleges*

  15th May, Birmingham In peer support schemes, students are trained to help other students. How do these schemes help to address issues around transition; achievement; behaviour; aspirations or time management? What model of peer support would best meet the needs of your students and organisation?

• Setting up and managing a successful mentoring or befriending programme: Part A*

  23rd May, London Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme? Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?

• Engaging with employers to support your mentoring or befriending programme

  29th May, Birmingham Developing links with employers can add real value to your mentoring or befriending programme. Do you know in what ways they can support your programme or what is involved in developing a successful partnership for mutual benefit?

• Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part A*

  30th May, Birmingham Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how you can capture evidence of this?

• Training volunteer mentors and befrienders - Part A

  13th June, Manchester How do you prepare volunteers for their mentoring and befriending role? What are the essential skills and knowledge required of an effective mentor and befriender?

• Setting up and managing a successful mentoring or befriending programme: Part A*

  26th June, Manchester Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme?  Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?

• Setting up and managing an ‘on-line’ mentoring or befriending scheme

  26th June, London In our digital age, the interest and growth of ‘e-mentoring’ and ‘e-befriending’ is increasing and has a wide appeal. How does it work, when does it work best and how does it fit alongside traditional face-to-face mentoring or befriending?

• Funding your mentoring or befriending project: how to develop high quality applications

  26th June, Birmingham Funding your project is a significant challenge in an increasingly competitive environment. How can you ensure that your application stands out and meets the needs of your service users and the funder?

• Deal of the month £100 - Monitoring and evaluation of outcomes in mentoring and befriending: Part B*

  28th June, Birmingham Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how to capture evidence of this?

• Safeguarding and risk management: developing a safety management framework for mentoring and befriending

  3rd July, Manchester Do you want to know the difference your mentoring or befriending programme is making to your clients and how you can capture evidence of this?

• Telephone befriending: How to set up a programme and prepare volunteers for their roles

  5th July, Manchester Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme? Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?

• Setting up and managing a successful mentoring or befriending programme: Part A*

  11th July, London Are you planning to set up a mentoring or befriending programme?  Do you want to meet the requirements of safe and effective practice?