Time to Shine’s Mentoring for Progression Programme – The E2E Project

Helping young people reach their full potential

Time to Shine has developed a peer mentoring scheme that helps young people identify their life goals and develop and action plan.  Mentees are given a volunteer mentor who is an experienced, professional and caring member of the local business community.

The process:

Time to Shine works with the business community to identify mentors, facilitates the training and provides ongoing support.

The learning and progression mentor works with a pairs of mentees and will: 

• Help the mentees identify and record their development so far.
• Help the mentees determine which direction they want to go.
• Help the mentees research ways that will help them achieve their life goals.
• Support the discussion and action planning process.
• Provide ongoing support and information so that individuals realise their full potential.

If you would like to become a volunteer mentor or find out more about this project please contact Asa Cunniff at asa@time2shinecharity.co.uk

Outline of what it is like to be assigned a mentor




Anum & Aqeel

Anum: I left college and if I think about it I was quite disruptive while I was there. Then I came to e2e and I calmed down a lot. I really wanted to get a job I wasn’t really interested in studying. I was asked if I would like a mentor – to be honest I didn’t know what a mentor was but I said yes in the hope that it would be someone who could help me find a job. There was one job that I really wanted but my CRB check was taking such a long time. My mentor encouraged me to stick with it, have patience. It paid off and I started work 6 months ago. My mentor was always there to talk through what having a job was like, always encouraging me to work things through in the work place. I have had a few challenges with my first job and had to learn about management and tax codes but my mentor has been one of the people I have turned to for advice. I am now off probation and have just had a pay rise!

Aqeel: I was really enjoying e2e but knew I needed to finish on the course in February 2009. I was asked if I wanted a mentor and I thought it was someone who could help me find a job so I said yes! With Anum and my mentor we have done some interview role playing which has been good to practice. My mentor has also helped me work on my CV and write about how my volunteer work would be interesting to an employer. I was quite lazy about looking for a job but I am much more focused now, my mentor keeps on my case. I hope to start a training course in a few weeks that will teach me all about motor car maintenance. I hope to get a part time job soon.