Becoming a mentor
To become a mentor you need to:
- Be over 18
- Live in Gloucestershire
- Be diagnosed, or self-identify as neurodivergent
- Be a good listener
- Have access to your own phone or computer
- Have time to commit to the project.
Your role as a peer mentor is to use your experience of discovering and exploring your own neurodivergence to support someone navigating similar circumstances.
Download the role description here.
Over a period of six months, you will arrange to meet regularly for one-to-one mentoring sessions with a mentee who is in the early stages of exploring their own neurodivergence.
The approach is friendly, user-led and non-judgemental, so there’s is no expectation for mentors to have all the answers, provide solutions or take on the role of a professionally trained counsellor, therapist or support worker. Both mentors and mentees are on an equal footing. Mentors may be able to identify with the mentees journey towards self-acceptance.
Training & background checks
All mentors are required to undergo DBS and reference checks and attend our in-person mentor training day prior to being paired with a mentor.
Our training event will be in-person at our offices in Gloucester.
The date for our next training event is: To be confirmed
You will also need to spend some time familiarising yourself with our policies, procedures and mentor resources. We have a handbook and an online Mentor resources library to support you with this.
Time commitment
Following training, we expect that volunteering as a peer mentor will involve no more than 1 hour a week for 6 months (depending on how often you and your mentee decide to meet). This includes:
- your regular mentoring sessions, which will be scheduled at a time and frequency to suit you both
- Any other training or meetings (including periodic check-ins with our project coordinator)
- Monthly online mentor group support sessions (these are optional, but recommended to aid peer-support and shared learning)
- Optional online social events
If you’d like to become a mentor follow this link to complete a registration form:
MENTOR Online Registration Form
If you’d like support with completing this form, or would like to discuss being a mentor email us on: unboxed@inclusion-glos.org