Mentor for Young People
Could you be the mentor to a young person that you wish you had growing up?
Are you looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in a young person’s life?
Could you spare a couple of hours each week to encourage, support, and simply show up for a young person who needs someone in their corner?
At Upside Youth Mentoring, we believe that one trusted adult can help change the direction of a young person’s life.
Every week across Auckland, young people aged 9–13 are referred to us through schools because they would benefit from having a positive adult role model — someone to listen, encourage them, have fun with them, and remind them that they matter.
What does an Upside mentor do?
As an Upside volunteer mentor, you’ll spend a couple of hours each week with a young person for a minimum of 12 months. You don’t need to be an expert, counsellor, or youth worker. You just need to be someone who is willing to consistently show up, build trust, and journey alongside a young person.
Mentoring is about the simple things like:
Grab an ice cream
Kick a ball around
Play games
Go for a walk
Try a new activity
Have a chat and listen
Through these everyday moments, mentors can help young people grow in confidence, resilience, hope, and a sense of belonging.
We’re looking for people who:
Care about young people
Want to give back in a meaningful way
Can commit to one regular hangout each week
Are willing to build a consistent, trusted relationship
Believe every young person deserves someone in their corner
As an Upside mentor, you’ll become part of the Upside whānau and have the opportunity to play a meaningful role in a young person’s story.
You could be the person who helps a young person feel seen, supported, valued, and hopeful about their future.
If this sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.
We do require Upside mentors to have a full drivers licence and vehicle, and must be willing to undergo a police check.
As an Upside mentor, you'll commit to meeting with your young person once a week for 12 months. This consistent support and guidance provide a stable foundation for these young individuals, who greatly benefit from having a mentor showing up each week and present in their lives.
We understand the importance of support and guidance for our mentors as well. Upside provides training, a dedicated Mentoring Coordinator for ongoing support ensuring you have the tools and resources needed to thrive in your role. We believe that together, we can create a safe and nurturing environment for these young people to thrive.
Getting started:
The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below. We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.
Mentoring