We have been celebrating our dedicated volunteers during a week of events which coincided with National Volunteer Week (1st - 7th June 2017).
Lincolnshire Action Trust (LAT) invited our volunteer mentors to an afternoon tea to celebrate their achievements.
Laura Priestley, LAT's Mentor Coordinator, said: “The event was a chance to share some of the many successes including our work with a client called Adam (name changed).
“Adam has mental health issues and was not engaging during appointments with his Probation Offender Manager. However, in the short time since Adam started working with his LAT mentor, they have developed a unique relationship.
“Adam opens up to his mentor in a way he has never done previously. His mentor attends some of his appointments with him and they are tackling the challenges that Adam faces together.”
As well as celebrating recent successes, the volunteers took the opportunity to find out more about the range of services provided by LAT and their partners during the event on Monday 5th June.
Mentors are often the first people to signpost offenders and those at risk of offending to specialist support services including LAT’s Money Mentor, who is experienced in helping offenders address their debt, benefit and other financial problems.
Laura said: “We are incredibly grateful for the compassion, professionalism and skills that our volunteer mentors offer. It was a pleasure to recognise this by presenting them with a certificate and a token of our appreciation during our celebration event.”
In the 11 years since it was established, the mentor scheme has provided support to hundreds of young people and adults through the successful partnerships between mentors and mentees.
Matches are made based on information such as shared interests, compatibility and past experiences. Mentors and clients usually meet for an hour, once a week to overcome challenges and work towards future goals.
Director of Operations Christina Hall added: “We absolutely could not do what we do without our volunteer mentors.
“LAT aims to reduce the rate of re-offending and experience has shown us that by having someone to talk to and work through some of the bigger challenges, our clients stand a better chance of breaking the cycle of offending.”
If you're interested in becoming a volunteer mentor with us, please click here
