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- Tasks: Mentor 16-17 year olds, helping them develop skills and navigate their career paths.
- Company: Social Mobility Foundation, dedicated to supporting talented students from diverse backgrounds.
- Benefits: Make a real difference, gain mentoring experience, and connect with future leaders.
- Why this job: Empower young people to achieve their dreams and break down barriers to success.
- Qualifications: Experience in your career sector and strong communication skills.
- Other info: Flexible commitment of 1-2 hours per month, with online support and resources.
Mentoring helps people dream bigger and reach higher. As an SMF mentor, you'll help talented young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds thrive in education and work. What difference will you make? Whilst talent is everywhere, regardless of social background, sadly, opportunity is not. Our SMF students face additional barriers to accessing top professions and they lack the support networks to help get them there. With the help of our fabulous mentors we support thousands of students each year across the UK to gain knowledge, develop skills, and feel confident that they can achieve their aspirations.
What are we looking for?
- Someone with several years of experience and knowledge of their career sector, who is willing to share this with students.
- Understanding and encouraging to support a young person who is at the very beginning of their career journey.
- Ability to help students plan, research, and develop their time management, as well as professional skills such as networking and communication.
We are particularly looking for volunteers with expertise in the following sectors:
- Accountancy
- Banking & Finance
- Law
- Medicine
- Politics
- Science & Engineering
- Technology
Ideally, volunteers will have had experience of recruitment processes within their sector, and will have strong communication skills.
What will you be doing?
As a mentor you would support a 16-17 year old for around 9 months (April 2026 - January 2027). Matches are made based on career sector interest and typically you would support with career insight, professional skill development, CV guidance, and support with post-18 choices and Personal Statements for example. Mentoring pairs communicate via our online messaging platform but also have the option to attend virtual events and have phone calls depending on their preferences. We ask mentors to commit around 1-2 hours per month to their mentoring relationship and be in contact around every two weeks throughout the programme.
Volunteers can sign up on our website until the 6th of March 2026 and we will be in touch with further details. For safeguarding purposes, all mentors must complete a DBS/PVG background check before they can be matched but the SMF will arrange this free of charge. Please feel free to contact the team (mentors@socialmobility.org.uk) if you have any questions.
Mentor 16-17 year old students online! employer: Socialmobility
Contact Detail:
Socialmobility Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Mentor 16-17 year old students online!
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company culture! Before your interview, do a bit of digging on their website and social media. This will help you understand their values and how you can fit in as a mentor.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice makes perfect! Run through common interview questions with a friend or in front of the mirror. This will help you articulate your experience and how it relates to mentoring students effectively.
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion for mentoring! During your interview, share personal stories about how you've helped others in the past. This will demonstrate your commitment to making a difference in students' lives.
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds as they make their decision.
We think you need these skills to ace Mentor 16-17 year old students online!
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your enthusiasm for mentoring shine through! We want to see how much you care about helping young people from diverse backgrounds achieve their dreams.
Tailor Your Experience: Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in your sector. We’re looking for mentors with a solid background, so connect your skills and experiences directly to what our students might need.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. We appreciate clarity, so avoid jargon and make it easy for us to see why you’d be a great fit as a mentor.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the easiest way for us to keep track of all the amazing candidates like you. Plus, we’ll get back to you with all the details you need.
How to prepare for a job interview at Socialmobility
✨Know Your Impact
Before the interview, think about how you can make a difference in the lives of 16-17 year old students. Reflect on your own experiences and how they can inspire others. Be ready to share specific examples of how you've helped someone overcome challenges or achieve their goals.
✨Showcase Your Expertise
Make sure to highlight your experience in your career sector. Prepare to discuss relevant skills and knowledge that can benefit the students. Whether it's CV guidance or professional skill development, be clear about what you can offer and how it aligns with the mentoring role.
✨Communicate with Confidence
Strong communication skills are key for this role. Practice articulating your thoughts clearly and concisely. You might even want to do a mock interview with a friend to get comfortable discussing your ideas and experiences, especially around networking and time management.
✨Be Ready to Listen
Mentoring is as much about listening as it is about teaching. Prepare to discuss how you would approach understanding a student's needs and aspirations. Think about questions you could ask to encourage them to open up about their challenges and dreams.