On mentorship
On mentorship
Mentorship is a way of providing individual support and assistance to a child who is living in a facility for children who are orphaned and or deprived of parental care, or some other children’s facility.
The adult mentor becomes an “older friend” who helps the child prepare for living back in a community, and supports their reintegration into community life. The mentor can give advice, teach new skills, encourage the child to discover new talents and interests, be a source of social connection and emotional support, and show the child that this world is worth exploring.
Mentorship is carried out on a voluntary and unpaid basis.
Directions a mentor could focus on:
Assistance to the child’s education / training:
Mentors help children study at school, do their homework, and enhance their academic knowledge, as well as support the child’s extracurricular activities.
Socialisation (formation of skills of living on your own
Mentors support the child to develop skills related to self-care, shopping for food, cooking, budget planning, and any other areas needed to integrate into the community
Career guidance for teenagers:
Mentors help teenagers explore their interests and talents to plan their future careers
Key facts
Mentoring: individual support of a child by the adult acting as a mentor
Target audience: children who live in institutional care facilities for children who are orphaned or deprived of parental care, or other children care facilities. Mentorship can be arranged both for younger children and teenagers. Teenagers are in particular need of mentors since they have fewer chances of getting into family-based care
Selection of mentors: mentors are responsible, legally capable adults who have been specially trained to offer the best support to children
Voluntary activity: the mentor acts on a voluntary basis. They offer emotional support, help in studies, practical support in gaining and practising life skills, and social adaptation
Personalised approached: mentorship is carried out by an adult volunteer, matched with one child, in a personalised manner
Duration of mentorship: mentorship can last several months to several years, based on the needs of the child. The relationship between the mentor and the child often continues after the formal mentorship programme has ended
Rights of a child: children retain all their rights, including the right to education, medical services, and social benefits. Mentors support the child in exercising their rights and accessing necessary resources
Engagement in the community: mentorship helps integrate children into the community, and ensures social inclusion
Co-residence: Unlike family-based care, mentorship does not include co-residence of the mentor and the child. The mentor and the child meet on a regular basis at times convenient to both of them for joint activities, studies, and communication. It enables the child to experience support and connection with the mentor without having to change his or her permanent place of residence. The mentor may invite the child to their place of residence for up to three calendar days at a time on festive occasions and public holidays, during vacations. During this period, the mentor is responsible for the child, and their timely return to their place of residence. These conditions are stipulated in the mentorship agreement
Who can be a mentor?
A legally capable adult who has good moral traits, and wishes to help a child in their development, socialisation and career guidance, can become a verified and trained mentor.
What does a mentor get from mentorship?
Becoming a mentor for a child living in an institutional facility is a decision that can dramatically change not only the child’s life, but also your own. It is an extremely important mission that gives you the opportunity to exert real and meaningful influence to improve a child’s life.
What does a child get from mentorship?
Mentorship means individualised support, attention, and assistance, a source of social connection and emotional support, a possibility of better adaptation to community life, as well as finding a friend, and a mentor. Communication and time spent with a mentor gives a child a sense of belonging, self-worth, and self-perception as an important person. It supports the child’s socialisation and development of life skills.
Care line
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