The Mentorship Programme brings together volunteer mentors who support children and young people throughout their educational and personal development journeys. You can access the application form to become part of this network of solidarity.
The Mentorship Programme, implemented by the Refugee Association, aims to bring together mentees who need guidance and support in achieving their goals with volunteer mentors who have gone through similar life experiences and are willing to share their knowledge, experiences, and encouragement.
Rather than establishing a traditional teacher–student relationship, the programme promotes a supportive peer-to-peer connection, built on trust and mutual understanding—similar to that of an older sibling or a close friend. Through these meaningful relationships, potential risks such as school dropout, child labour, child, early and forced marriage, domestic violence, bullying, neglect, and abuse can be identified at an early stage, enabling timely preventive and protective interventions.
In addition to one-to-one mentoring, both mentors and mentees benefit from a range of training and capacity-building activities focused on education, career development, and personal growth, helping them strengthen their skills, confidence, and future opportunities.
We hold our meetings at the Refugee Association’s Social Café, in a safe and welcoming environment where mentors and mentees can communicate face-to-face.
We go beyond formal meetings, building warm and supportive older sister/brother–younger sibling relationships through mind games and shared activities.
A mentor is a volunteer guide who accompanies a child or young person throughout their personal and educational journey by sharing their knowledge, experience, and insights. Mentors support mentees in identifying their goals, recognizing their strengths, and finding ways to overcome challenges. Rather than providing direct answers or making decisions on their behalf, mentors listen actively, encourage, and inspire critical thinking.
Drawing on their own experiences, mentors offer guidance in areas such as education, career planning, social life, and personal development. Throughout the mentoring relationship, they foster trust, mutual respect, and consistent communication. Mentors also remain attentive to the needs of their mentees and, when necessary, communicate with the programme team to ensure appropriate support. Mentoring is a mutually enriching experience, where mentors gain new perspectives and continue to grow alongside their mentees.
A mentee is a child or young person who wishes to receive support in the areas of education, career, social life, or personal development. They participate in the Mentorship Programme voluntarily and take active responsibility for their own development.
The mentee shares their goals, needs, and the challenges they face with their mentor in a safe environment. While benefiting from their mentor’s experience, they learn to make their own decisions and develop solutions to problems.
Mentees are expected to attend regular meetings and make an effort to achieve the goals they have set. The mentoring process helps mentees discover their strengths, build self-confidence, and plan their future more consciously. A mentee is not only someone who receives support, but also an active companion who contributes to the process.
We carefully match mentors and mentees to begin a personalised one-to-one mentoring journey. From the very first meeting, we identify each young person’s needs and work together to set clear, realistic, and measurable goals. Throughout the programme, we monitor progress through regular meetings, help mentees overcome challenges, and provide guidance as they plan their education, future, and career paths.
By fostering relationships built on trust, friendship, and the support of an older sibling, we help young people build self-confidence and express themselves freely in social settings. At the same time, we take preventive and protective action against risks such as school dropout, child labour, child, early and forced marriage, and peer bullying. Through regular gatherings at our Social Café and shared activities, we strengthen young people’s sense of belonging, social connections, and social cohesion.
We provide structured academic guidance to help our mentees improve their school performance and overcome the challenges they face throughout their education. We support them in keeping up with their coursework, guide them through exam preparation, and help them develop effective study habits. Our goal is to empower young people to continue their educational journey with greater confidence, resilience, and long-term success.
We form small study and tutoring groups to strengthen students’ motivation to learn alongside their peers. In this supportive environment, students help one another with challenging subjects, develop regular study habits, and build a shared sense of achievement.
We implement inclusive integration activities for young people who face language barriers while adapting to education and community life. Through language practice, communication-focused activities, and social inclusion initiatives, we help them build confidence, feel safe, and develop meaningful connections with the people and communities around them.
To ensure the highest quality of the programme, we foster a culture of continuous learning and development for both mentors and mentees. Our volunteer mentors receive comprehensive training before beginning the mentoring journey, while mentees participate in a variety of personal development, social, and skills-based workshops. Together, these opportunities create a dynamic learning environment where everyone grows, learns, and develops throughout the programme.
We go beyond one-to-one meetings by organising interactive activities that bring young people together around shared interests. Through board games, group activities, and peer-sharing workshops, we strengthen peer connections while helping young people develop communication, teamwork, and a shared sense of achievement.
We maintain a robust coordination and monitoring system to ensure the mentoring process remains consistent, high-quality, and effective. Following each meeting, mentors complete reflection and progress forms within 24 hours, allowing us to monitor each mentoring relationship closely. With the support of our Volunteer Follow-up Coordinator, we identify challenges early, provide timely support when needed, and implement follow-up measures to keep the process on track. At the end of each programme cycle, we evaluate outcomes and document the impact through comprehensive reporting.
Middle and high school students, high school graduates, young people who have taken a break from education, and students enrolled in Vocational Education Centres (MESEM) can apply as mentees. University students, university graduates, and volunteers with the required qualifications can apply as mentors.
Mentor applicants are assessed based on their motivation to volunteer, communication skills, ability to commit regular time to the programme, adherence to ethical principles, and suitability for the mentoring role. There is no requirement to have graduated from a specific academic discipline.
Yes. Participation in the programme is completely free of charge for both mentors and mentees.
Matching is never carried out randomly. The programme team carefully pairs mentors and mentees by considering factors such as gender, age, educational background, interests, goals, individual needs, language skills, and personal characteristics to ensure a compatible and effective mentoring relationship.
The programme runs for one year and consists of four terms. Each term includes eight meetings, and mentors and mentees are expected to meet at least twice a month. Meetings are held face-to-face at the Refugee Association’s Social Café, with full consideration given to child safeguarding principles, safety, and privacy.
The process is planned around the goals jointly identified by the mentor and mentee, with the aim of building a regular, trust-based, and sustainable mentoring relationship.
Yes. Information shared within the programme is protected in accordance with the principle of confidentiality. However, in cases involving child safeguarding concerns, neglect, abuse, violence, or serious safety risks, the necessary information is shared with the programme team.
No. Matches are not made based on individual preferences. Instead, the programme team carefully pairs mentors and mentees by considering the mentee’s needs, the mentor’s qualifications, and the programme’s safeguarding principles. Where necessary, matches may be reviewed and adjusted during the course of the programme.
The programme is based on voluntary participation. Mentors or mentees who wish to leave the programme are expected to inform the programme team. Where necessary, a planned closure process is carried out or, when appropriate, a new match is arranged.
Yes. In addition to one-to-one mentoring meetings, we organise a variety of group activities designed to help mentors and mentees get to know one another, strengthen their social connections, and support their personal development. These include picnics, peer support gatherings, workshops, training sessions, career and personal development events, cultural visits, book and film activities, and community engagement initiatives. Activities are planned throughout the year based on the interests, needs, and aspirations of programme participants.