XLM Tamworth Mentoring Project

We launched XLM Tamworth Mentoring Project in January 2014 having piloted the project in 2013. XLM Tamworth is a community mentoring project which pairs trained volunteer mentors with young people who need help realising their potential and finding a “Positive Future for their Lives.”

The project has been very successful over the last four years and we have had the privilege of meeting with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on March 11th, 2016 in London to share about the work we are doing in Tamworth and the surrounding area.

We have currently:

• Received  505 referrals (53 in 2014, 67 in 2015, 128 in 2016 and 131 in 2017, 126 currently  in 2018)
• Seen 88% of mentoring take place in school and 12% taking place in the parental  home or agreed neutral venue
• Trained 52 mentors with 27currently active, 3 to enter training 
• Worked with pupils from: 6 secondary school, 12 primary schools, Sixth Form  Centre, Pupil Referral Unit (Short Stay School), Special Educational Needs  Secondary School
• Expanded  the Mentoring Project in 2018 to work with 3 new Primary Schools 
• Received referrals from: Schools, Parents and the Local Authority through Safeguarding Board, Social Services, Local Support Team and Adoption Services
• Provided, one to one support, bereavement support, group and drop in sessions
• Mentored  young people for an average of 12.5 months 
• Seen significant improvements in 88% of our beneficiaries
• Seen  improvement in young peoples; academic achievement, attendance, raised self-esteem, confidence, behaviour, in their aspirations and in  relationships in school, relationships in the community and relationships at home.
• Started Activity morning/afternoon sessions with primary school children focussing on issues that they are facing such as: confidence, low self-esteem and overcoming fear. Sharing a life stories and relating it to real life issues that they are facing and showing how they can overcome these issues. Working with over 5000 young people.
• Became a Staffordshire County Council approved project.
• Persimmon Homes North Midlands "Community Champions" September 2018
• Received "Special Recognition Award" for Charity of the Year 2018 at Radio Tamworth  Awards
• Nominated for Staffordshire Children Voluntary Youth Services (SCVYS) Youth Impact Award
• Worked with Leicester City Council and a Local Church in Leicester on a free consultancy basis to set up a mentoring project
• Worked  with a Coventry Radio Station on a free consultancy basis to help them explore the possibilities of setting up a mentoring project in their area
• Mentees have started to attend the Coton Green Church Friday Night Youth Group 
• Mentees  have volunteered as junior leaders at Impact Holiday Clubs 
• Mentee’s  brothers/sisters have attended Impact Holiday/Kidz Clubs 

How can an ordinary, regular person have a profound impact on the future direction of a family going through a tough time? The answer is for that person to offer a long-term consistent and caring relationship – a caring friendship, with a purpose, for at least six months or more, for one or two hours a week.

XLM Tamworth describes our volunteer mentors as “friends with purpose” who offer support and mentoring towards life goals for young people and their families going through tough times in their life and society. Mentors are ordinary people who are committed to the community, offering love to their neighbours’, building relationships of trust with families characterised by grace and perseverance.

Mentors take on important roles with the young people and their families including that of a trusted friend, role model, advocate and guide. Over the long haul, this type of mentoring relationship can have a profound effect on the well-being of the young person and their family with almost all young people achieving a significant goal within 12 months of being mentored. We have also found that mentoring improves the well-being of the whole family and equips mentors with extra skills to volunteer in the community.

Due to the success of the project we are looking to recruit new mentors to work in both primary and secondary schools of Tamworth as we are asked to work with more young people of Tamworth and meet the demand for our service.

Funding will also enable us to expand the work of XLM Tamworth in providing more support through activity mornings/ afternoons and one to one sessions designed to address issues that young people are facing that are affecting their emotional wellbeing and mental health; (such as bullying, low confidence and self-esteem, issues through domestic violence, issues with social media and internet safety such as grooming and cyber bullying) and that can, in turn, be affecting their attainment levels and their attendance in school. 

This is a unique opportunity for us to help our young people and help them to find a positive future for their lives and their families. There is no better thing than when organisations and people work together, and I hope you will consider joining us on this exciting journey, so we can continue to help and support the young people and their families of Tamworth and the surrounding area.