Been There is being set up as a charity by a team of volunteers, which provides a free mentoring App to connect young adults (aged 18 – 24) with a relevant mentor, who will support and guide them through life’s challenges. Been There bridges the gap between silence and a counsellor, and the mentor-mentee relationship is based on relatability, compassion and understanding gained from the mentor's personal experiences.
My Story
'I am Tess Peters, the Founder of Been There.
When I was younger, I needed support from someone who was non-judgemental and could truly understand what I was going through. I saw counsellors, dieticians and therapists. Despite their good intentions, none of these options worked for me. I needed relatability. I needed a mentor!
I recognise the immense value of the mentor-mentee relationship and the profound, transformational impact it has had on my life. Each relationship is a journey. Our volunteer mentors ensure that their mentees are always supported and never alone.
My vision is a world where a mentee-mentor relationship to support mental health is accessible for all. However, to achieve this dream, we need funding to enable us to launch our App-based platform and build a mentorship community, which is the epicentre of Been There’s mission.'
The App
The Been There App, which has been designed and is now ready for development, will partner young adults (aged 18-24) with vetted and trained mentors (24+).
A young adult creates a profile on the App, and is then matched with a fully trained mentor according to the issues they specify. The mentor, who has experienced and worked through similar challenges in the past, is therefore equipped to advise and inspire their mentee, enabling them to better understand, address and manage their struggles. We want to empower our mentees to develop their resilience, so they can ultimately fulfil their true potential. That's the magic formula. In your pocket; at the touch of a button; in your corner.
The Need
Research collated by the Centre for Mental Health shows that '75% of adults with a diagnosable mental health problem will have experienced their first symptoms by the age of 24'. This demonstrates the urgent need for intervention and support earlier in a young adult's life. Furthermore, a recent survey by Young Minds showed that '75% of young people agreed that they had to manage their mental health on their own when they couldn’t find help elsewhere, but only 17% felt confident in their ability to do this'.
A recent survey from US-based organisation, Mentor: The National Mentoring Partnership, found that '88% of mentoring providers are interested in tech solutions that provide a safe and monitored one-to-one communication between mentors and mentees', demonstrating the need for a UK long-term digital solution that allows these important relationships to be cultivated through online conversations.
Conclusion
As a team of specialist volunteers and professional advisors formed during the COVID-19 lockdown, with all the disruption and chaos that entails, we are spurred on to address the desperate need for remote support outside of traditional healthcare routes. The NHS is severely underfunded and oversubscribed - Been There is an innovative and accessible solution to the worsening NHS crisis.
Through your donation, you are actively improving the lives of young adults with a free service, lessening NHS costs, and helping to build a stronger, healthier society in the aftermath of the pandemic, and beyond.
There is a clear gap for our App. All support, large or small, is gratefully received.
Where your investment will go
- Every £50 will help towards supporting one mentee
- Every £250 will train and verify one mentor
- Every £1,000 will ensure we have four mentors available, who can support up to 20 mentees
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- £7,000 needed for App to be developed
- £8,000 needed for initial mentor training and verification
Register your interest
Would you like to become a Been There volunteer mentor? If so, please get in touch today by emailing [email protected] or reaching out on social media to express your interest. We would love to hear from you!
For more information, please visit our website: www.beenthereapp.com
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