Local children who are facing challenges including bereavement, isolation, experience of domestic violence, a parent or family member in prison or experience of being in care will be given one-to-one support, thanks to a grant from Somerset Freemasons to the Mentoring Plus charity.
The grant of £66,000 will help support 48 local children to be matched with a trained adult volunteer mentor who will give them the space to feel safe, respected, heard and valued.
All sessions include a positive activity that the child is supported to choose, everything from horse riding to magnet fishing, geo-caching to musical theatre. Of course, all alongside the opportunity for children to talk about what they are experiencing with a kind, consistent, non-judgemental adult.
Behind the scenes, Mentoring Plus practitioners work with schools and local agencies to ensure the child and their family get the support they need outside of the mentoring relationship.
The grant will allow Mentoring Plus to train and support 48 volunteer mentors to provide vital support for children facing tough challenges. Training and support will build vital skills for volunteers and the organisations to whom they belong and build cohesion in our community. Together, volunteer mentors will donate a combined total of 3,744 hours over the grant period.
The charity’s most recent report shows that children have achieved the following outcomes: 76% showed improved emotional well-being; 86% appear happier; 71% showed improved relationships with family; 90% showed improved communication & social skills; and 62% engaged more positively with education.
The grant from Somerset Freemasons comes through the Masonic Charitable Foundation, which is funded by Freemasons, their families and friends from across England and Wales.
Mentoring Plus CEO Ruth Keily said:
“We’re very grateful to Somerset Freemasons for their generous grant, which will make a big difference in the lives of the children we work with. Mentoring helps children feel happier, more confident, more connected with their community and more engaged with education. They have better communication and social skills, better relationships with their family and friends, and feel more hopeful about the future. “
Graham Puddy from Somerset Freemasons said:
“I’m very pleased we’ve been able to help Mentoring Plus with their hugely valuable programme for local children who need this crucial support. Thanks to Mentoring Plus, these young people show improvement in all areas of their lives, not least at school. At the end of the day, being able to take advantage of their education and achieving their potential gives them a far greater chance of making a better life for themselves in the future.”
