Setting up a Mentoring and Befriending ProjectArooj Khan

12th June 2014

What does ‘homelessness’ mean

to you?

Brief history of the mentoring and

befriending project

The Mentoring & Befriending Project started in January 2010 (formerly the M&M Project).

Definitions

Befriender definition:

A relationship between two or more individuals which is initiated, supported, and monitored by an agency that has defined one or more parties as likely to benefit. 

Mentor definition:

Nowadays the term is used to describe a relationship in which set goals are achieved by one party with the help and guidance of the other.

Interesting fact…The term ‘mentor’ is derived from Ancient Greek fiction. In Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus entrusts the care of his son Telemachus to a trusted advisor called Mentor.

Match the mentee to the mentor

Luke Skywalker

Quincy Jones

Denzel Washington

Bob Dylan

Harry Potter

Woody Guthrie

Sidney Poitier

Ray Charles

Professor Dumbledore

Obi Wan Kenobi

Name the top 3 highest grossing films.

Mentoring and Befriending

exercise

Name 3 people who have helped you get to where you are today.

Mentoring and Befriending

exercise

Identify the needs of your service guests

• Ask around

• Assess your guests support needs

• Suggest the project to service users and ask for self-referrals

Recruitment

• Two main recruitment drives for the project are for volunteers and service users

• More convenient to recruit for volunteers and clients on a rolling basis

Matching process

• Best matches are self made ones.

• Matches are made on the basis of locality, preferred outcomes for both parties, hobbies and interests.

• Matches do not always work out.

Other things to think about

• How long would you like the relationships to last?

• How often would the pair meet?

• Would mentoring be appropriate in your service or befriending or both?

• Would you allow pairs to meet in a wet house aka pub?

• Would you prefer day time meetings or evenings?

• Meetings in an outside establishment or within your own service?

• Would you allow for volunteers to be reimbursed for the price of a coffee/snack?

Sources of funding

• Help the Homeless (deadline 15th December)

• Pret Foundation

• Church Urban Fund

• Homelessness Transition Fund

• Esmee Fairbairn Trust• StreetSmart

The Bridge case studyLeicester

Ervin’s case study

Rooftop Housing Case study

What can be done?

Word of mouth and/or digital PR and marketing…

We’re here to help...

Video

Contact details

Arooj KhanMentoring and Befriending Project CoordinatorHousing Justice

E: a.khan@housingjustice.org.ukT: 07827947016@HJMentoringwww.housingjustice.org.ukAnd on facebook too…