Bright Path Secondary Support Coach - Volunteer in Harrow

Join to apply for the Bright Path Secondary Support Coach - Volunteer role at Blue Magpie Foundation. Support young people aged 11–17 through remote one-to-one sessions. Help with schoolwork, confidence and safe decision-making. Your steady guidance will give teenagers from challenging backgrounds the support they need to grow and thrive.

Volunteers play a central role in the work of the Blue Magpie Foundation, and this opportunity has a significant impact on both our organisation and the young people we serve. Many of the teenagers referred to our Bright Path Secondary Programme are navigating a complex set of challenges: academic pressure, social difficulties, family instability, or exposure to environments where harmful behaviours are normalised. These experiences can erode confidence, disrupt learning and create a sense of detachment from school and personal goals. Your involvement helps us bridge that gap.

When a young person aged 11 to 17 meets with a steady, supportive adult every week, they begin to experience learning in a different way. Tasks that once felt overwhelming become manageable. Conversations that once felt intimidating become easier. With your guidance, young people start developing better study habits, stronger literacy and numeracy foundations, clearer revision routines and a more grounded sense of self. These changes create a foundation that lasts far beyond the programme itself.

For our organisation, volunteers extend the reach, stability and depth of the support we can offer. Because the role is remote, we are able to work with teenagers across the UK who would otherwise have no access to personalised academic or wellbeing support. This greatly increases our capacity to respond to requests from schools, youth teams and social workers, all of whom are facing unprecedented demand for early intervention.

Your contribution also strengthens our safeguarding and wellbeing model. Many teenagers simply need a calm adult presence who listens without judgement, notices when they are not themselves, and encourages them to make safer choices. Your role helps us identify concerns early, provide guidance around healthy decision-making, and support young people as they navigate pressures linked to friendships, substances or emotional stress. This early intervention approach is one of the most protective factors in a young person’s long-term wellbeing.

Also, volunteer involvement helps us demonstrate real, measurable outcomes to funders and partners. Improved attendance, increased confidence, better school engagement and clearer progression pathways all feed into the data we share with stakeholders. This strengthens our future funding applications and allows us to sustain and grow the programme in a meaningful way. Your time helps us ensure that no young person slips through the cracks. By offering stability, encouragement and thoughtful academic support, you help shape a healthier, more hopeful path for teenagers who need someone in their corner.

What are we looking for?

We are looking for someone who is calm, patient and genuinely committed to supporting young people who may be facing difficult or uncertain circumstances. The ideal volunteer is someone who can build trust slowly, listen without judgement and offer steady encouragement to teenagers who may be struggling with school, confidence or pressures in their personal lives.

We require at least three years of experience in one of the following areas:

• Mentoring or coaching
• Youth work
• Social care or counselling
• Teaching, tutoring or education support
• Training or facilitation
• Advice or advocacy

This experience is essential because many of the young people you will support need guidance from someone who understands adolescent challenges and is confident supporting learners who may be anxious, guarded or carrying emotional weight from their home environment.

We are looking for someone who can:

• Explain academic concepts clearly at an age-appropriate level
• Provide calm wellbeing support and encouragement
• Model healthy boundaries and safe choices
• Remain composed if a young person is distressed or withdrawn
• Offer factual, age-appropriate guidance about risky behaviours when needed
• Maintain confidentiality and safeguarding standards
• Show up reliably each week, as consistency is crucial for the teenager’s progress

Good digital communication skills are helpful, as sessions are fully remote. Above all, we want someone who believes in the potential of young people, approaches them with compassion and respect, and is ready to play a meaningful part in helping them stabilise, learn and grow.

What will you be doing?

We are looking for committed volunteers to provide weekly one-to-one support to young people aged 11–17 who may be struggling with schoolwork, confidence, or difficult circumstances at home. Many of the teenagers referred to our Bright Path Secondary Programme need a calm, steady adult who can help them stay engaged with their learning and make positive choices as they navigate a very challenging stage of life.

As a volunteer, you will meet remotely with a young person each week to support them with their academic needs – from literacy and numeracy, to revision planning, homework, study habits and GCSE preparation where appropriate. You will also offer gentle wellbeing guidance helping them build confidence, manage stress, understand the consequences of risky behaviours, and develop healthier decision‑making patterns. You’ll work closely with our Programme Manager, who oversees referrals and ensures safeguarding is always upheld.

Our organisation supports young people from difficult backgrounds across the UK, and the Bright Path team currently works with teenagers who benefit from extra attention and personalised encouragement. Your sessions will be a safe space for them to talk, learn and think more clearly about their future. This role is ideal for someone with experience supporting teenagers, who can give them space to grow academically while also guiding them towards safer, healthier choices.