Stratford school have been working with Mentors from Young Minds Matter for over two years now and I can honestly say, I am not sure how we would cope without them.We now have over 1800 students in the school and just one Mentor (myself) employed by the school. I can only see a maximum of 20 students a week. By having 2-3 mentors from YMM, they have been able to see an extra 10, so 50% more students and all at no cost to the school, which is incredible. We are regularly seeing students who are on very long waiting lists for CAMHS and who’s parents are desperate for support for their child, many of whom would simply be unable to afford to pay for private mentoring or counselling. From this perspective, YMM are providing an invaluable service to our local community and improving the lives of so many young people and their families.I have spoken to so many parents who are just so relieved that their child has got someone to talk to at school.The mentors from YMM, although from different backgrounds, are well trained and supported and have a genuine passion to help and support young people. They are given CPD and supervision to ensure that they are doing everything they can to support the students they work with, again, at no extra cost to the school.They provide both Male and Female mentors which I have found to be particularly helpful when trying to support some of our young male students, many of whom have lacked male role models at home. Having direct access to a YMM mentor who is simply there to listen and guide/advise when required or asked has had a real impact on the students they have worked with.As a school being supported by YMM, we have also benefited from free inspiring wellbeing talks, which again have been really helpful to our students. They are also very proactive in trying to engage our students in other activities to help build confidence and self esteem  through building in some purpose and focus in to their lives, whether that be through their Young Ambassador scheme or getting involved in organising or performing at their fund raising concert.On a final note, everyone I have met and had the pleasure to work with from YMM have always approached everything with high energy, positivity and professionalism, but more than anything, a genuinely desire to help and support young people. We will always be grateful for how they have helped us and hopefully we be able to continue to do so for years to come!

Sarah has been working with the children and young people at our school for almost 12 months now. She works with us for a full day every week and I have to say, she is very much a part of our Inclusion Team. Sarah mentors and spends time with up to 6 pupils per day, giving each of them the valuable gift of time with a trusted adult, which in schools at the moment, is hard to come by. I have seen the way pupils react to Sarah when she collects them from their classrooms – their faces light up and they cannot wait to spend the session with her, which is always tailored around their hobbies and interests. Sarah knows just what each pupil needs, through the relevant referrals and conversations.

The overall impact of Sarah’s sessions includes higher attendance, (and not only on the day she is with us), increased independence working in the classroom, improved confidence and self-esteem with adults and peers, overall increasing the young persons social and emotional mental health.

I have to say, we rely heavily on Charities, like Young Minds Matter, being able to offer support free of charge. We are a school who simply does not have a budget for employing external agencies for mentoring or counselling; School staff are so stretched working with the increasing number of children who experience poor social and emotional mental health and those who experience behaviours that challenge, that we simply wouldn’t be able to offer this additional, much-needed time to our pupils.

The mentors from Young Minds provide an essential part of our wellbeing offer for pupils. They have enabled our children to open up and seek support; a crucial step towards taking care of their mental health and regaining emotional balance. Each mentor has taken time to get to know the pupil they work with, tailoring support carefully to meet their individual needs. We cannot thank them enough for the support they provide.