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The Kids Network
The Kids Network is a community of children and volunteers connecting through fun, friendship and hardship for positive social change. We support children at a crucial time in their development - in the lead up to and often during the transition from primary into secondary school. We do this by providing them with a volunteer mentor, a local hero from the community.
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Description

The Kids Network are a London based organisation working in boroughs across the city to help support children aged 8-11 through one-to-one mentoring.

At a crucial age in a child’s development, mentors help with their social and emotional development during the transitional period between primary and secondary school. 

Mentors help build confidence, resilience and curiosity for ambitious futures through a series of fun and positive activities and experiences, opening up London in accessible and interesting ways.

Outside of sessions, mentors are able to connect with one another through peer to peer support both online and in regular mentor meet ups. Mentors also receive full training and ongoing support.

Duties

Sign up to become a mentor with The Kids Network! You'll gain new skills and enhance your employability prospects whilst positively impacting children in your local community.

We are looking for committed, fun and experienced volunteers to make a difference to the children of London. Our structured mentoring programme supports 8-11 year olds with their social and emotional development before they transition into secondary school.

 As a mentor, you will hold weekly one on one sessions of 1-3 hours. Sessions will be child-led and you will help to build confidence, resilience and help your mentee to manage feelings through a series of fun and positive experiences and activities.

The weekly sessions can be flexible between weekdays and weekends.

Volunteers have a budget of £30 per month to spend in sessions with their mentee. We are also able to cover travel expenses.

A DBS check is required but paid for by us.

Who will the volunteers be working with?
Our structured mentoring programme supports 8 -11 year olds with their social and emotional development before they transition into secondary school.
Training
• All volunteers will attend 2 days of training, including safeguarding, understanding what mentoring is and skills to bring to the role.
• We also offer additional training throughout the year, with up to 30 hours of free training and development available.
• Upon completion of the mentoring programme, Mentors will recieve a Badge of Excellence Certificate in ChildLed Mentoring.
• We also have monthly mentor meet ups which provide continual support for the mentors.
• Mentors will have a direct contact at the organisation, their Programme Manager (PM). PM's provide support, encouragement and advice throughout the whole year of your mentoring.

Time commitment

This is a year long mentoring programme. We ask that you are able to volunteer once a week for 1-3 hours for 12 months. We are flexible about taking the occasional week off or a couple of weeks for a holiday, but do expect our volunteers to commit to the full 12 months.

Categories

UCL Departments

This organisation is one of our community partner organisations.

Like all volunteer recruiters we work with, they have signed up to our service standards, agreeing to abide by our policy on partnership working to keep you safe and supported whilst you volunteer.

You’ll never be out of pocket for volunteering through us – with in-London travel expenses to and from your volunteering guaranteed.

In addition, the team here at Students’ Union UCL Volunteering Service is here to support you throughout your volunteering journey – you can get in touch with us at any time.