All donations go to funding access provision

Our mentors aim to help young people grow in character and build an honest, informal and trusting relationship with them.  A mentor is not there to be a counsellor, enforce opinion or be judgemental by helping to empower and motivate young people to identify any goals or targets and plays their part in Young people reaching them. A mentor can assist and advise in identifying issues or obstacles preventing progression and then work to resolve those issues.

Mentoring sessions typically occur once a week for two hours, usually twelve sessions in total. However, Evolve mentors are flexible and may be able to accommodate alternative arrangements.

Advocacy safeguards children and young people and protects them from abuse and poor practice. When a client is receiving a statutory service (e.g.: Children’s Services) they may require the support of an advocate. We can provide such a service which is independent, confidential and centres on making sure that the client’s voice is heard, particularly with regard to any plans or decisions made about them. We can support clients with any issues they may have through ‘instructed’ advocacy, which always puts forward the views of the client regardless of whether this is in their ‘best interests’ and never seeks to ‘put words in their mouth’. This remit falls within the framework of the Dept of Health’s National Advocacy Standards (2002). Advocacy can take the form of written and verbal communication, attendance at official meetings/hearings and submitting official complaints on a clients’ behalf. An advocate can also be useful in breaking down professional and official language into age (or ability) appropriate terms, bringing meaningful information to the client and helping them to feel part of the process.