Volunteer Mentor Review

My day would begin with assisting at breakfast club, where we would provide toast for the students. Throughout the day i'd deliver 1-1 mentoring sessions, or tutoring sessions (maths+english) for year tens and elevens. I would also provide in-class support. At lunch time I would help run a lunch club for kids who struggled socialising and being outside, we would play games and interact with the students. After school, I ran a gardening club and assisted with an origami club.

City Year is very beneficial with helping mentors develop and grow their skillset. On a Friday we have training days where we are able to develop core skills such as public speaking, networking, listening and written skills. Working in the school allows you to develop your confidence and communication skills as you are interacting with lots of new people. The admin tasks also help to improve time management and organisational skills.

Yes, although your IO is there to support you and offer a lot of assistance when needed, there is a lot of responsibility in school. This includes, making sure you have prepared resources for your sessions, and making sure you know how to help struggling students.

A lot of support is there if you should need it. My IO was in school with me 2 out of 4 days a week, and the days she was not there I was easily able to contact her if I had any questions or concerns. At City Year they don't expect you to be fully prepared for a professional setting yet, so they are very good at accommodating when you may need assistance.

The overall atmosphere is very positive and welcoming, Friday sessions where the cohort all comes together always have a very uplifting environment. The culture does have a bit of an American 'vibe' to it, with there being some chants and songs to sing. I would say however, the atmosphere on your team really depends on the people you get selected to work with.

I did enjoy my placement and it was really valuable in preparing me for a professional setting, I learnt a lot of valuable skills and had a lot of help with preparing my CV etc. It is definitely worth doing, although the days can be quite long and difficult, especially for £25 a day. However, the help you get with your personal development and the qualifications you gain does make it worth while. My only criticism is that some people in your team may not have much of a work ethic, meaning you may have to do a lot of their work.

Yes

To engage in all the Friday sessions, as this is what will help your personal development. Definitely don't go into it with the mindset of that you won't be doing much except a few mentoring and tutoring sessions, as this is not the case.