Time Together
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E-Mail:mentor@timebank.org.uk
London
What's Involved?
Whenthey enter the UK refugees face many barriers to successful integration. Theseinclude difficulties with language, a lack of knowledge about UK systems, such as where tofind employment opportunities, financial hardship and often open hostility anddiscrimination from the host community.Mentoring is oneof the most effective ways of overcoming these difficulties. Mentorssupport, encourage, motivate and guide their mentee as they seek to achieve their goals ineducation,employment and integration.Mentors spend
5 hours
per month with their mentee for a period of 6 months to a year,meeting at least twice per month. Mentors help their mentee to feel more at home in the UKby sharing their knowledge and experience, and offering their friendship. This might meandoing anything from helping to write a CV, to visiting a museum or art gallery, to helping topractise English. Time Together provides full training and support to mentors and menteesthroughout the course of the mentoring relationships.Since the project was launched in 2002, over 2,500 refugees have been matched with avolunteer mentor.Mentoring is one of the most rewarding ways of giving time. It offers a wonderfulopportunity to use your own knowledge and experience to help another person while givingyou the chance to develop your own skills.
‘Mentoring for Time Together sounded socially rewarding but I had no idea it would be fun, personally challenging and educational as well. Easily the best volunteer activity I haveever had the privilege to be involved in.’ - A mentor on Time Together
What is Mentoring?
Mentoring has been described as a 'professional friendship'. The Home Office gives this definition:
'Mentoring is a one-to-one, non-judgemental relationship in which an individual mentor voluntarily givestime to support and encourage another. This relationship is typically developed at a time of transition in thementee's life, and lasts for a significant and sustained period.'
A mentor is someone who guides, encourages, motivates, teaches and inspires. Mentoring is based on mutualtrust and respect. It is not a one-sided relationship but one of reciprocity, providing both mentee and mentorwith the opportunity to learn new things and further their own personal development through theirinteractions with each other.Mentoring on Time Together is a unique experience. Some of the relationships mentors forge with theirmentees are very informal, with mentors taking on a befriending role, visiting museums, chatting over coffeeand helping their mentee feel less isolated. Other relationships are more formal and structured, with mentorsoffering professional support and assistance with specific goals, such as finding a job or requalifying in theirprofessional field. Most relationships will be a mixture of these, as mentors and mentees combine abefriending approach while also focusing on specific goals the mentee wants to achieve, usually with regardto language or employment.The type of relationship that develops depends very much on the personalities of the people involved and theindividual aims of the mentee. The training given by Co-ordinators to participants helps them to structureand manage their relationships by giving practical advice and clear guidelines on boundaries.
What will be expected of me as a mentor?
Mentors are not expected to be professional counsellors, advisors or experts on immigration or asylumissues. However, they must be committed and reliable, and have an open mind. Mentors must be over 18years old, speak fluent English and be either UK citizens or have lived in the UK long enough to have a realunderstanding of the culture and customs.
A good mentor should:
Be open-mindedShow patience, consideration and respectBe an effective listenerHave good communication skillsBe self-awareBe keen to further their own learningGuide but not instruct
What training will I receive?
All mentors are required to attend a one day group training session before they are matched. The trainingwill provide mentors with:Knowledge of how Time Together worksAn understanding of the role of a Time Together mentorAn understanding of the refugee issuesThe opportunity to develop mentoring skills
After being matched with their mentee, mentors will also be required to attend an evening workshop toequip them with the skills they need to communicate effectively and support individuals with low levels of English language.
What support will I receive?
Mentors receive continual training and support throughout the course of their mentoring relationship. Aswell as the initial mentor training, pairs will have opportunities every 3 months to get together with othermentors in order to discuss and share experiences.The Time Together Coordinator will also be available by phone, email and in person to assist and guidementors and mentees throughout their mentoring experience.
Who are the mentees?
The mentees on the scheme come from a variety of backgrounds and cultures, with a range of professionsand education levels. They are all refugees who are newly arrived to the UK and are currently accessing theRefugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES). You can find more information about RIES below.The standard of English varies, however it will mostly be quite basic as they will have only been in the UKfor a few months. Their more immediate needs, such as housing, should have already been resolved by theother RIES services. The sorts of things mentees need support with include:Improving their English languageUnderstanding the UK employment system and finding a jobAccessing further educationGetting to know their local communityUnderstanding UK culture and customs
How do you match me with my mentee?
Time Together has developed a careful system of matching refugees with a mentor, based on a number of key criteria. We take into account factors such as age, sex, proximity and mutual interests when deciding amatch.Time Together aims to match mentors with mentees as soon as possible after training, however, sometimesthere can be a wait whilst we find a suitable match.
What kind of things do mentors and mentees do together?
This depends on what both parties want to get out of the mentoring relationship and what they enjoy doing.Mentors on the project have done a variety of things with their mentees including; visiting museums and artgalleries, playing football together, writing a cv or looking for jobs or going on a picnic.
What is the Refugee Integration and Employment Service?
The UK Border Agency established the Refugee Integration and Employment Service (RIES) in October2008. RIES is delivered in every Government region of the UK and its support services are available to allnewly arrived refugees to the UK.The Refugee Integration and Employment Service delivers support to refugees in 3 key areas:Mentoring Service - Refugees are matched with a volunteer mentor to support them to achieve goalsaround, employment, education and integration.Information Advice and Guidance Service - all newly arrived refugees are supported by a dedicatedcaseworker for a maximum of 6 months. The caseworker will help them develop a PersonalIntegration Plan and to resolve their more immediate needs such as housing, healthcare and benefits.Employment Advice Service - newly arrived refugees will receive support to set an EmploymentAction Plan and to start taking steps towards achieving their employment goals.Refugees are referred to Time Together by either their Caseworker or their Employment Advisor. This will
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