Mentoring at Sport 4 Life

At Sport 4 Life, we believe every young person deserves the chance to build confidence, develop key skills, and create a better future for themselves.

Our mentoring programmes are here to support you every step of the way. Our goal is to empower you to reach your potential. We can help you overcome challenges, gain qualifications, and get the skills you need to find work and shape a successful future.

BUILD YOUR SKILLS, GROW YOUR confidence AND FIND YOUR PURPOSE 

Why mentoring matters

Mentoring gives you the support, skills, and confidence to take control of your future. Having someone to guide and encourage you can make a huge difference in achieving your goals.

With one-to-one support from a mentor, you can:

  • Build confidence and resilience, helping you take on new challenges.
  • Gain employability skills like communication and teamwork to help you succeed in work or education.
  • Make better, more balanced decisions by having someone to talk to and get advice from.

At Sport 4 Life, our mentors support you every step of the way, helping you stay on track and work towards a future that feels right for you.

Mentoring that fits your journey

Everyone’s journey is different, and the right support can make all the difference. Whether you’re looking for one-to-one guidance, support in school, or help navigating the workplace, our mentoring programmes are here to help.

Mentoring for young people

Having the right mentor can help you gain confidence, develop new skills, and plan for your future. Whether you need support with education, employment, or personal growth, our mentors are here to guide you every step of the way.

  • Build confidence to take on new challenges
  • Gain employability skills to prepare for work or further education
  • Set goals and make a plan with the support of someone who understands

Our mentoring is designed to fit around you, helping you take the next step towards a future that works for you.

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Mentoring in schools

When students feel confident, engaged, and supported, they’re more likely to succeed. Our school mentoring programme helps young people develop key life skills, improve focus, and prepare for the future.

  • Boost confidence and motivation to stay engaged in learning
  • Get support with challenges like attendance, behaviour, and future planning
  • Develop key skills and gain qualifications to prepare for life beyond school

We work with schools to provide tailored mentoring that helps students reach their full potential.

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teacher delivering career services in secondary school to three young students

Mentoring in the workplace

When young employees feel supported, they’re more likely to grow in their roles and build long-term careers. Our workplace mentoring programme helps young professionals build confidence, develop key skills, and feel more secure in their careers.

  • Develop workplace skills like communication, leadership, and problem-solving.
  • Feel more confident in your role with guidance on workplace challenges.
  • Get the support you need to grow and progress in your career.

With one-to-one virtual mentoring, sessions are designed to fit around busy schedules and hybrid work environments, making it easier to get the support you need, when you need it.

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Young person in the classroom

giving you the confidence and skills you need to move into sustained education, employment or training

Our Mentoring Approach: How It Works

Our mentoring is designed to fit around you, helping you take the next step towards a future that works for you. Every young person’s journey is unique, so while the support we offer follows a structured approach, the experience may differ depending on the programme you’re part of.

A typical mentoring journey looks like this:

  • Sign up – Register for mentoring and tell us about your goals.
  • Meet your mentor – Get matched with someone who understands your challenges and ambitions.
  • Set your goals – Work together to create a personalised action plan.
  • Ongoing support – Regular one-to-one mentoring to help you stay on track.
  • Career & skills development – Take part in workshops, training, or qualifications.
  • Sustained progression – Continued support even after you take your next step.

Our mentoring is flexible and built around your needs, ensuring you have the right support at every stage.

Whether you’re ready to start your journey, know someone who could benefit, or want to support our work — there’s a way to get involved.

Sign up Refer a young person Work with us

Frequently asked questions

 

Youth mentoring is a supportive, one-to-one relationship between a young person and a trusted adult who helps them build confidence, set goals, and take positive steps towards their future. At Sport 4 Life, our mentors are friendly role models who provide guidance, encouragement, and practical support to help you overcome challenges and achieve your potential.
Our mentoring is open to young people aged 11 to 29 who want support with education, employment, or personal development. Whether you're still in school, actively job hunting, or facing barriers to progression, we have a programme that can help. We also work with schools and employers to offer tailored mentoring in educational and workplace settings. You can sign up yourself or be referred by a teacher, parent, job centre, or support worker.
Our programmes typically last around 12 months, but it depends on your individual goals. Some people continue to receive support even after progressing into work or education.
A mentor is there to support you in achieving your goals—whatever they might be. This can include improving your confidence, building key skills like teamwork or communication, planning your next steps, or navigating challenges like job interviews or returning to education. At Sport 4 Life, our mentors take the time to understand your needs and work with you to create a personalised plan for your future.
Every mentoring journey is unique, but here's what you can typically expect:
  • Sign up online or through a referral partner
  • Meet your mentor, who will listen and help you understand your goals
  • Create a plan together, focused on personal and professional development
  • Take part in one-to-one sessions and optional workshops
  • Access continued support even after you've moved into work or education
Sessions can take place in person or virtually, depending on your situation and preferences.
No. Sport is part of our wider mission, but you don’t have to be sporty to take part. We support young people from all backgrounds, with or without an interest in sport.
Mentoring can take place in schools, online, in the community, or at one of our partner locations. We’ll work with you to find a time and place that works best for you.
While all our mentoring programmes are tailored to individual needs, each one is shaped around your environment—whether that’s school, work, or everyday life. The support is always one-to-one and focused on helping you achieve your goals.
No, our mentoring services are free for young people. In some cases, like workplace mentoring, costs may be covered by the employer.
It’s simple. You can sign up directly, refer a young person, or speak to your school or employer if they already work with us. Just head to our sign-up page or get in touch.

How we help

young people enjoying an employability session with Sport 4 Life UK

Employability skills

Get job ready! Get support with CV writing, interview techniques and tips, career pathway advice, and mock interviews.

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young person on laptop with coffee and apple

Qualifications

Level up and improve your chances of moving into further education and employment with the help of our online and in-person courses and qualifications.

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teacher delivering career services in secondary school to three young students

School support

Our career services for secondary schools have been proven to increase attainment, attendance, positive behaviour, engagement and increase aspirations.

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Young person playing basketball in sport 4 life t-shirt

Sports sessions

Our sports sessions support young people to stay active, develop life skills and meet new people.

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We want to give every young person we work with the chance to make a positive change in their lives

“I’ve been working with my mentor Hannah for a few months now and she’s been a pleasure to work with. She’s been nothing but kind, patient, understanding and supportive and clearly dedicated to improving the lives of young people within the community.”

Mentee