In the first of our new series, Meet our Mentors, we hear from Hayley who discovered the YAT Mentoring Programme somewhat serendipitously after a chip appeared in her windscreen. We hear how mentoring has filled a gap she had felt since leaving teaching, and how mentoring has enabled her to continue using her skills and supporting young people in a more flexible one-on-one setting.
What inspired you to become a mentor with YAT?
I left teaching a few years ago and although I had missed working with young people, I didn’t feel that with my full-time employment I could commit to anything that would enable me to do so again. I’d come to accept this until one morning whilst waiting for my car windscreen to be fixed; I picked up Salisbury Gazette and came across an advert for the YAT Mentoring Programme. Reading about the programme and noticing the 2 hours per fortnight commitment, something clicked and I immediately emailed Becky to find out more information. Before long I was enrolled as a volunteer mentor and ready to begin my first mentoring year. I’ll be forever grateful to that stone that chipped my windscreen!
What is the best thing about being a mentor?
Personally, it’s enabled me to fill a gap in my own life that I had from leaving teaching. I’ve been able to offer support to young people again which is something I feel blessed to be able to do. Being a mentor is so rewarding, particularly when you’re at a point in the year that you can reflect on how much of a difference your role has had on that young person’s life – you can’t put a price on that.
What 3 words would you use to describe your time as a mentor?
Just 3?! Rewarding, fulfilling, refreshing. I also want to say humbling but that makes 4 so I won’t say it…!
How do you think your young person benefitted from having a mentor?
What you can offer as a mentor is all dependent on what that young person needs (and they might not even know what that is). The more time you invest in getting to know your mentee, the more easily you can tailor their experience and provide whatever it is that will help them to thrive. For my mentee, just having someone to offload to, who was there to listen without judgement, was probably the most beneficial aspect of having a mentor. Yes, we planned some great activities that gave them the opportunity to try new things they may not have usually had the chance to, but sometimes all they really needed was a quiet space and an ear (and maybe a milkshake!).
What do you think it means to a young person to know that their mentor is supporting them in a voluntary capacity?
Knowing that someone isn’t legally obliged or financially benefiting from spending time with you can make their company feel more valuable and authentic. Knowing that someone is choosing to be there to support you can often mean that you welcome that support more openly and it definitely makes you feel more important and valued. This can be shown in a number of ways but you’ll know your young person appreciates you being there of your own accord when they start to open up more to you and engage fully in your sessions and the programme – that’s because they’ve learned to trust that you’re there for them for all the right reasons.
Is there anything that you feel you’ve gained personally from your mentoring experience?
My list of personal gains is a long one! I had no idea how rewarding the programme would be for me but when I sat in our final review session at the end of the year, I was quite overwhelmed with how much I’d actually gained from my experience of being a mentor.
My mentee taught me so much about being patient and how important it is to exercise patience in so many areas of your life; I’ve always considered myself to be someone who needs instant gratification, switching off from something if I don’t ‘get it’ relatively quickly. From spending time with my mentee, I’ve learned more about the importance of spending longer learning and persevering before giving up. This initially became clear when I was being taught how to knit – something I just couldn’t get the knack of. From my mentee’s encouragement and seeing how they handled situations with patience, I decided to take on a similar approach and low and behold, a few months down the line, I’ve got blankets, hats, and scarves coming out of my ears (along with a fresher outlook on life)!
So to sum up, yes, I’ve learned new skills like how to knit (a total game changer!) but on a deeper level, I’ve learned more about myself and what I can do differently to improve different areas of my life.
What have you found especially surprising or rewarding in your role as a mentor?
I was a little surprised by how well my mentee and I clicked from the get go. It just goes to show that the work which goes into matching mentees and mentors is like some sort of behind-the-scenes magic!
What makes volunteering for the Youth Adventure Trust special or different?
The amount of support you get from the YAT Mentoring Managers is more than you could hope for and just helps make the mentoring experience even more accessible around a full-time job, or the curveballs life throws your way. Something truly special is realising how much of an impact you can have on someone by just spending 2 hours a fortnight with them.
What would you say to someone thinking of becoming a mentor for YAT?
If you’re willing to throw yourself into the role, I think you’ll surprise yourself by just how much you and a young person can gain from a mere 2 hours a fortnight together. I’d say give it a go – I doubt you’ll look back.
You can find out more about our Mentoring Programme here and how to get involved in 2025.