We are so excited to have you join us! In this stage, we will walk you through everything you need to do in order to get set up for mentoring.
You can download your Volunteer Journey Checklist here – please bookmark it so that you can follow along the journey and keep track of where you are up to.
Please click on the steps below to find out what you need to do next.
Good news – if you are on this page, this means that you have successfully signed up on the website, so you can cross this task off your to-do list!
The most exciting part of this stage! Please click here to view our available mentoring projects along with their dates, times, locations and details.
This does not directly sign you up to a mentoring project – instead, you will be asked for your top 3 choices, so that a member of the Volunteer Team can allocate you to a project based on availability of spaces.
Remember: Your spot will only be reserved for 2 weeks. If you do not progress with your Volunteer Journey after signing up for a project, then your mentoring space will be at risk and may be released for other mentors to take up.
Follow the instructions on the form to submit your preferences.
This e-learning will give you a background into ReachOut & safeguarding. Safeguarding young people is everyone’s responsibility, and as you will be working directly with our mentees it is really important that you familiarise yourself with the concept, and know exactly what to do if you are ever concerned about a young person.
Click here to access your Safeguarding e-learning.
You will not be able to progress onto the next stage until you have completed this!
This is an optional step that helps us identify any areas in our recruitment and onboarding we need to work on.
You can complete the form by clicking here.
You’ll need your unique contact ID code for this (a combination of 15 letters & numbers starting with 003), which you will have received in the email that brought you to this page.
The Volunteer Team will view your project preferences & will allocate a project to you. Please note that you will be added to the waiting list for your mentoring project – this is something that happens for all mentors. It is a way for you to reserve your space on a mentoring project, so that you can gain a firm position once you complete all of your onboarding admin in full, and provided that spaces on your chosen project are available.
You will receive an email inviting you to the next stage of the journey, which is all about learning. Please get started with the next stage as soon as you receive the invitation from us!
Safeguarding E-Learning
Thank you for completing your E-learning. You will receive information on your next steps on weekdays between 9am-5pm. It might take up to 24 hours for you to receive information on stage 2. If it has been longer, please get in touch with us at volunteer@reachoutuk.org.
Opening the E-learning on another browser or different device can sometimes overcome this issue. If this does not resolve it, please get in touch with us at volunteer@reachoutuk.org .
Choosing your mentoring project
If your chosen project has incomplete or missing information on the project timetables, then this is because we are still working with the school to finalise the details. But don’t worry, all your project information including start dates, age groups and Project Leader will be confirmed around 3-4 weeks before you are due to begin mentoring. Thank you for your patience!
Yes, please do still fill out the project preferences form and choose a project. If anything changes in January, we can try to swap you onto another project if needed (subject to availability).
Yes! Please make sure that you mention this on the project preferences form under ‘specific preferences or requirements’.
Once you have completed all of your volunteer admin – this should be done once you have reached Stage 4 – and your DBS has come back clear we can confirm your space on a project. In most cases you should know 3-4 weeks ahead of your project start date. Please do note that our projects are filled on a first come first served basis. The quicker you complete your admin, the better your chances of getting a firm space on your project. If you do not complete your admin in time, or there are no spaces available, you will be added to the waiting list.
If you’re having any trouble with this stage of your Volunteer Journey, or if you have any other questions, please contact the Volunteer Team:
Alice McGILL
Sia Kampouri
“Hello, we’re Alice and Sia, ReachOut’s Volunteer Officers. Our role at ReachOut is to support you throughout your time as a volunteer mentor. Volunteering as a mentor to a young person is a fantastic way to make a difference and give back to your community, and you’ll be part of our brilliant community of volunteers. If you have any questions at all, please don’t hesitate to get in touch!”
“My mentor helped me a lot because when I tried to say something I couldn’t express it, but he told me that I could try and keep trying, even if I get it wrong, so that I can express myself better.”
Rawan, ReachOut Mentee
“At first, I was really hesitant to take on the Project Leader role, despite having mentored with ReachOut. However, with the support of the team I’ve really developed my skills. For example, at the Mentee Graduation, I stood up in front of 200 people and presented an award which is something I would never ever have been able to have done before, and isn’t an opportunity I could gain in my other situations.”
Amy McCutcheon, Project Leader at ReachOut Academy, Dean Trust Ardwick, Manchester.
“Being able to spend the summer working at Rede Partners, was an amazing experience. Whether it was working in HR or Finance, I learned so much about the world of private equity, made great connections with fantastic people and I got to learn first-hand what it would be like to work there! I really believe that I can go onto build the career I want now I’ve been a part for a workplace for real”
Victor Adekunle, 18 years old, ReachOut Ambassador, London
“When I first my mentee, she was very reluctant to participate in the sessions. Now, I see a completely different person! Her confidence has grown and she is happy to join in! She still has some self-doubt when it comes to academic work, but that’s what I hope to help her overcome, because she is a very bright person!
Through mentoring, I’ve learnt I’m a lot more patient than I realised. There will be days where she refuses to participate and those are the days that I really see the importance of the character strengths, for both the mentees and the mentors. It also makes it easier for the mentee to understand the character strengths, when I use them myself”
Myrtle, ReachOut Club mentor at Tufnell Primary School, London
“There are more distractions than ever outside of school, and the commitment of our students to attend ReachOut sessions is testament to the value they place on the relationships they foster there, and the challenge and enjoyment they provide.
ReachOut’s focus on communication skills and character development has become an important aspect of our provision of support for these students. The opportunity to relate to a positive role- model other than their usual teachers is key to the programme’s impact, and the evidence of this has been seen in the students’ attendance, resilience and to their overall progress across all the subjects in the school.”
Thomas Janvrin, Assistant Vice Principal at the Petchey Academy London
