Volunteer Skills and Career Mentor

What will you be doing?

Agree realistic goals with participants and help them identify practical next steps. Offer constructive feedback within your professional expertise, which could include employability, creative work, digital skills, marketing or enterprise. Encourage engagement with suitable courses and learning resources. Hold agreed calls, check-ins or sessions and record brief, factual actions in the FYF system after training. Flag concerns or requests outside your role to your named team contact. If suitable for your skills and the agreed brief, you may support a group mentoring session or workshop; this is optional. We welcome virtual, in-person or blended support from UK-based volunteers. Local cohort work includes Lewisham, Lambeth and Southwark. We will agree the participant match, format, commitment and boundaries before starting. This is unpaid volunteering, not a paid delivery or formal assessment role.

What are we looking for?

At least three years of professional experience in the relevant skill area. Good listening, clear communication and a reliable, encouraging approach are important. You should be comfortable working at a participant’s pace, respecting confidentiality and maintaining role boundaries. Previous mentoring experience is welcome. Please explain your relevant skills and experience supporting others. Learner contact begins only after the relevant suitability, safeguarding and onboarding steps.

What difference will you make?

Your support will help participants turn their goals into manageable actions and stay engaged with skills and career development. It will add professional insight and human encouragement alongside the support provided by the FYF team. Clear mentoring notes and follow-ups will help the team understand progress and respond to barriers, without making volunteers responsible for formal assessment or safeguarding decisions.

Anything else...

Approximately three to five hours per week for an initial three-month commitment. Hours can be arranged flexibly, but volunteers should be able to attend agreed meetings, complete allocated actions and communicate consistently with the FYF team.