Le Cheile Mentoring seeking new volunteer mentors in North Dublin and Dublin City

Dublin based mentoring and youth justice charity Le Chéile Mentoring are looking for volunteers from Dublin City and North Dublin to become fully trained volunteer mentors.

They provide a one-to-one mentoring service for young people who offend or are at risk of offending.

They also provide a mentoring support service for their parents/carers.

The goal is to support them in making positive changes in their lives which will not only benefit them and their families but in turn wider society and local communities in Dublin.

Application dates close on Friday July 26th, with interviews and volunteer training being held in August and September.

Volunteer mentors commit to meeting their ‘mentee’ for 1-3 hours per week.

You can apply though their website www.lecheile.ie or contact Sara on 087- 2016801 for more information.

Le Chéile’s volunteers come from all walks of life and no experience is required, just a genuine interest in working with young people or their parents.

Full training and ongoing supports are provided throughout the volunteering journey.

“Mentoring is a simple but really effective way of helping young people move away from crime,” said Le Cheile eastern region manager Mary Daly.

“Le Chéile mentors are supportive adults whose role is to encourage a young person to get involved in new hobbies/ activities or set and reach goals.”

Le Chéile are looking for both men and women to volunteer, whilst trying to increase their number of male volunteers.

“The young people we work with often don’t have male role models in their life and many ask specifically for a male mentor.

“It’s disappointing that we don’t have enough male mentors to meet demand so this year, we’re putting out that extra call for men to step up and become a mentor,” said Mary.

“Spending a couple of hours each week – whether it’s doing activities or meeting for a chat means that the young person has someone to turn to.

“We know that just having someone to talk to can help a young person to make more positive choices, giving them better options for the future.

“Mentors can provide a quiet voice of support and encouragement, build their confidence, and even help repair relationships with their families.”

Parent mentors also meet weekly with a parent mentee to have a coffee or a bite to eat, creating an informal, relaxed atmosphere whereby the mentor can support a parent through a very difficult period in their life and help them to make positive changes in their family.

Many of Le Cheile’s volunteers find their role to be very rewarding. Debra, a volunteer mentor said of her experience “I believe in second chances. I believe that people are inherently good, and even when they don’t do good things, that doesn’t make them bad people.

“When I saw that Le Chéile was recruiting, I knew they were a really good match for me”.