Black and green banner with 'Develop Me' written over and photo of a women smiling and engaged in a conversation

What is Develop Me?

Develop Me is a mentoring programme with Birmingham Children’s Trust that supports young people in care and care leavers, aged 16-25. A mentor for Birmingham Children’s Trust can be life changing for a young person in care and care leavers. By being a consistent and supportive person in their life and helping them build trust, you can help someone reach their potential.

All children in care and care leavers should be given the opportunity to have a responsible person in their life who can support them and guide them.

What we do

We support young people to achieve their goals by supporting them to develop positive relationships. We achieve this by helping young people understand and promote their own wellbeing, and by ensuring there is always someone to talk to. We also acknowledge the importance of developing life skills as this increases self-worth and independence. We achieve this by building their self-esteem and confidence by rewarding their positive behaviour.

Our mission

  • Promote health and wellbeing for young people within Birmingham Children’s Trust ensuring they understand the importance of health and wellbeing.
  • Mentors will motivate, guide and support mentees to help achieve positive goals and develop important key life skills.
  • Provide mentors who are good role models to young people and young adults.
  • Develop a positive relationship between mentor and mentee.

Role of the mentor

A mentor is a volunteer who guides a young person by building trust and modelling positive behaviour. They support young people by using skills to help the young person on their journey in life. An effective mentor understands that their role is to be dependable, engaged and tuned in to the needs of the mentee. Mentors will help develop knowledge and lifelong skills to maximise emotional health and wellbeing in ways that will work for the mentee.

Find out more

Role of the mentee

As a mentee you will receive advice, training, or guidance from a more experienced or skilled person. It is important to be open to learning things, gaining new perspectives, challenging yourself by setting goals and keeping consistent communication with your mentor. With the right support, you can achieve anything!

APPLY TO GET A MENTOR

How to apply to become a volunteer mentor

  • Click on the link below and complete an online application. Please note this will take you to a different website. 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY 

Have a question?

If you have a question or would like more information, please contact Melissa Jackson at mentoring@birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk