Communication Skills Needed to Work With Young People

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Quiz Volunteers

Effective communication skills are the foundation of successful interactions. They allow us to connect, engage, and build meaningful relationships with people from all walks of life. A common assumption is that everyone has the necessary communication skills to interact with people daily.

However, working with young people requires a unique set of skills for the interactions to be effective and valuable. So what does it take to communicate effectively with young people? This blog post explores the ways we can develop the communication skills needed to work with young people.

Understanding and Empathy

To develop effective communication skills and strategies that encourage the young person’s participation, it is important to understand the unique needs of young people. This involves recognising the differences in the developmental stages that young people go through. By doing this, we can tailor the language we use to communicate with them to suit the conditions of their unique situation.

For example, a scholar who is struggling with their school work would need a different approach to be used in encouraging them compared to a scholar who is already excelling. This means the scholar who is experiencing challenges in their school is more likely to benefit from receiving information about the habits they need to develop to become a better student, such as those shared in our blog here.

Another example is that younger scholars require simpler words to help them grasp concepts better, while older scholars can handle more abstract and complex ideas. Essentially, it is necessary to know that each scholar might have individual needs and therefore needs a different method of communication to be effectively helped.

Awareness of Barriers to Communication

To effectively communicate with young people, we also have to be aware of the potential barriers that could discourage them from engaging openly. This can be challenging due to the variety of barriers that could exist for each young person. For example, personal factors such as culture or language could affect the effectiveness of the communication. This means we have to consider these barriers when we attempt to communicate with young people.

Understanding and addressing these barriers helps create a supportive atmosphere where young people feel valued and heard. This not only enhances communication but also strengthens the relationship between the volunteer and the young person, leading to more positive outcomes in their interactions.

Using the Right Method of Communication

Different types of communication can be used to enable more effective engagement with young people. It is also important to note that the young person’s preferred form of communication may be influenced by. It is key that we consider the young person’s context when identifying the best form of communication for them, and be able to adapt communication styles as necessary.

Verbal communication involves an exchange of spoken words, whilst non-verbal communication includes facial expressions, body movements, gestures and others. Also, written communication involves exchanging information through written formats, whilst visual communication relies on images, symbols and graphics to convey messages.

These communication methods can be used to tailor your approach and create a better understanding and rapport with young people. The choice of communication method will vary depending on the young person, the context, the purpose and the message. Combining different types of communication can also enhance the overall impact of an interaction, and it is up to us to understand the needs of the young person to ensure a good mix of these methods for our interactions with them.

Building Rapport

Building rapport with young people is one of the most essential communication skills for creating a trusting and supportive environment. Establishing a connection begins with showing genuine interest in their lives, listening actively, and being consistently present. Small gestures, such as remembering their names, interests, and past conversations, can make a significant difference in your communication with young people.

One of our mentees says, “The most important thing is to be able to help the mentee, but it is also important to have something in common with them.” By attempting to build rapport, we can discover common ground, which helps to create a more comfortable environment for both ourselves and the young person we are working with. You can read more about our mentee’s experience in our blog here.

By establishing a genuine connection, we can make it easier for young people to open up and feel comfortable expressing themselves. This strong rapport forms the foundation for effective communication, collaboration, and mentorship, ultimately improving their confidence and creating a starting point for a meaningful interaction with the young person.

Active Listening

These days, it is hard to get young people to pay attention to anything that is not engaging. Active listening requires us to be responsive and engaged when we are communicating with people. This means responding to cues while restating and drawing out the meaning of what the person is saying, so they know that you understand. Active listening is also combined with empathy to help young people feel that their thoughts and feelings are valued, respected and understood.

Active listening is a highly effective communication skill that will help you support and guide young people more effectively. When engaging in active listening, we are able to build young people’s confidence as they realise that their opinions matter to us. Over time, they will become more willing to share as they recognise that they have a space to freely express their thoughts and feelings. This will also nurture a deeper connection and improve the overall quality of the interactions.

Be Observant

To have effective communication skills, we have to listen beyond hearing words, or as some would say, ‘read between the lines’. Some young people may find it hard to articulate their thoughts. This means we have to pay close attention to what is not being said just as much as we are listening to their verbal expressions. To do this, we have to be attentive to silence, body language (including facial expressions), tone of voice, gestures, posture, and other subtle non-verbal cues.

These signals can offer valuable insights into a young person’s true feelings and emotions, even when they are not explicitly stated. For example, crossing arms or avoiding eye contact might suggest that they are uncomfortable or uncertain about something. We should also be cautious of changes in behaviour or mood that could indicate deeper underlying issues or unspoken worries. By noticing these muted signals, we can sensitively address them and demonstrate that we are paying attention. This will help us to keep building trust with them.

Open-Mindedness and Approachability

Having communication skills is beneficial to working with young people, but it becomes redundant if we are not open and approachable during those interactions. It is important to be aware of how our attitude can affect young people. One should be supportive and reaffirming when communicating so that the young person does not feel judged and become closed off or difficult to communicate with. When a young person feels comfortable, they are more likely to express themself.

In order to create an environment where the young person can openly communicate, we can use open questions. Open questions are a great communication tool as they encourage the young person to open up since they do not require definitive yes or no answers. Open questions encourage the young person to discuss their answer instead of giving one-word answers, and this helps develop good communication. You can learn more about open-ended questions in this article.

Adaptability to Topics of Discussion

Being adaptable to the topics of discussion is an important part of working with young people and a positive sign of good communication skills. Young people’s topics of interest can vary widely and may shift quickly, reflecting their personal experiences, curiosities, and developmental stages. By being adaptable to this, we are able to engage in conversations that may deviate from planned topics but are important to them.

This flexibility will help to build rapport and trust by showing that we appreciate their opinions and that we are sincerely interested in their thoughts and perspectives. Also, it allows for more meaningful conversations and interactions where young people feel comfortable expressing themselves and exploring new ideas.

Our communication skills can influence how young people will continue to interact with us and others throughout their lives. Good communication with young people can help develop their self-confidence, which goes a long way in developing a positive attitude and a growth mindset. So it is important for us to always be aware of how we communicate with young people by being aware of the specific skills we need to interact with them and maximise the value we bring to our interactions with them.

Do you have the right communication skills to work with young people?

At GT Scholars, we are always looking for passionate volunteers who want to make a difference in the lives of young people. Through our range of programmes, we believe that you could make an impact by working with a young person for just one hour per week. If you believe that could be you, get in touch with us via email to share your interest in volunteering with us or fill out the contact form on our website to get started on your journey to working with young people.

Volunteer Spotlight: Education and mentoring are critical, especially for young people

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight What's new?

We have a great team of volunteer tutors and mentors who are passionate about helping young people learn, grow and achieve their goals in life. Our latest spotlight interview is with one of our volunteers, Eliana. She shares more about why she decided to become a volunteer mentor and her experience with GT Scholars.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I am 33 years old and was born in Angola, but I grew up in Portugal. Around ten years ago, I moved to the UK. I studied business, and I did my master’s in the UK and ended up staying here. I work as a civil servant in project management currently.

What made you decide to become a volunteer mentor?

I felt that I needed to be doing something else with my time besides working. I believe it’s important to help other people. I know that volunteering will also help me in various areas of my life. Now that my life is a bit more stable, I decided to look for some volunteering opportunities where I’m able to give back to my community.

How did you get started as a volunteer mentor with GT Scholars?

I found an article in a newspaper about the Founder, Temi. After I read it, I thought the organisation was quite interesting, and I liked the work they did. I looked at the GT Scholars website and thought this would be a good place where I would like to volunteer. There are so many good causes, so it’s hard sometimes to choose what to do with your time. I think education and mentoring are critical, especially for young people, because that’s where they start making decisions for adult life. So that’s why I chose GT Scholars.

What goals have you helped your scholar to achieve?

They were good academically, so they wanted to explore ways of expressing themselves with family and friends. I told them about emotional intelligence, for example, the difference between IQ and EQ and games that they could play and exercises they could do online. I used a lot of GT Scholars supporting resources and websites, and that was very, very helpful. I think the main thing was to help them express themselves better.

What challenges have you helped your scholar face?

The challenge was to prepare for their A-levels. In two years, they are going from school to choosing a university and then choosing what career paths to take. So that was a challenge because there are a lot of options. Sometimes we think about university, and some people don’t think about university at all. But I think it’s important to keep all the options open because there are many parts to success, and that’s what I taught my scholar.

What challenges did you face while mentoring your scholar?

I am new to mentoring, so for me, it was hard to mentor someone that young. I was a youth leader before, but it was not a permanent thing. When volunteering as a mentor, at the moment. I had to be more committed and prepared for the sessions. That was difficult sometimes because I did not know if I was doing a good job or not, or if I was good enough to give them the proper support. That was challenging for me, but I overcame it by using the guidance and resources provided.

What part of the volunteering process have you found the most fulfilling?

For me, it was to get the scholar engaged with the conversation and asking questions, which meant that they were listening. I used to give examples of my own life from when I was their age, which helped them. I think it was good that I broke the ice by sharing my experiences. It’s good when young people can relate, because it shows you’ve got their best interests at heart.

Why do you think mentoring is valuable to young people?

They may have a very supportive family or friends at school, but it’s good to have someone from the outside who can give them a different perspective or for someone to look at things from another perspective. So as a mentor, I can give them impartial and straightforward advice rather than if it came from a friend or family member.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a volunteer mentor?

I think you need to have empathy as a mentor. There are other skills, like being patient, but with empathy, because there are a lot of things that come up during sessions. You may need to put yourself in the other person’s shoes so that you can prepare for the session. You need to understand their challenges or dreams.

What was the experience as a volunteer mentor like for you?

I have had a pleasant experience so far. I’m surprised with how things are organised, with the mentor log, feedback and the links. For me, that was very important. I didn’t know what to expect, but I’m happy that I have all this kind of support, which has been very good. I’ve learnt a lot with the mentees as well, and that’s a good experience because, as I said, I didn’t grow up here. It’s been great to get different perspectives on life in England.

Would you recommend becoming a mentor with GT Scholars?

Yes, I would. I have received support right from the beginning, and it was important for me to have an organisation like that. I receive calls, emails and supporting documents for the sessions, and that’s very important.

What have you gained from volunteering with GT Scholars?

I’m more confident. In the beginning, when I did my sessions, I didn’t know how it was going to be. I was a bit scared if I was going to be good enough for mentoring. I was worried that they were going to ask me things I didn’t know how to answer. So being a mentor has given me the confidence to overcome that and support young people.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a mentor with GT Scholars?

I would say go for it because the time you need to engage as a mentor is quite flexible. You can manage your time around your other commitments, such as if you work or study. You will also get enough and the right support to be a successful mentor. Some of the tools shared with you can also be translated to other areas of your life.

21 Ways You Can Support GT Scholars

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Quiz Volunteers What's new?

When you volunteer your time, experience, or skills with a charity, you help give more young people the chance to succeed. And while our team works hard to provide tutoring, mentoring and personal development programmes, we know that we cannot do it alone.

Some young people already have a clear idea of the career they want to pursue. Others simply know they want to do something meaningful but are still exploring their options. Some individuals have incredible potential but struggle to envision a positive future for themselves because of their circumstances. This reminds us that every young person is different, and the support they receive should be tailored to their individual needs and aspirations.

The good news is that there are many ways you can help us to support more young people. In this blog, we will outline 21 ways you can support GT Scholars and help us continue our mission of building confident, capable, and empowered young people.

1. Volunteer With Us as a Tutor

Private tutoring is one of the most effective ways of improving student grades. Our programmes actively engage students through personalised academic support, and some students have achieved an A/B average by the end of Year 12.

The truth is, tutors are at the heart of our academic programmes. If you enjoy teaching subjects like Maths, English, Science and Coding, or you simply enjoy explaining concepts clearly, becoming a tutor is a powerful way to support a student’s learning journey.

2. Host a Masterclass for Parents or Young People

If you feel fulfilled when teaching, you might also enjoy hosting a masterclass or enrichment session. Our webinars and online masterclasses help parents and young people build key skills in leadership, finance, entrepreneurship, creativity, study habits, and other areas of personal development.

Sharing your expertise not only supports parents but can also spark new interests, passions, and career ambitions in young people that they may never have discovered otherwise. If you have an idea for a masterclass for young people or parents, contact us to explore how we can collaborate to bring your vision to life.

3. Facilitate a Workshop

If you are interested in working with young people or parents over a short-term period, consider running a workshop. Not sure how to host a workshop? Our team can support you every step of the way, from planning the session to engaging your audience of young people or parents.

One of our most popular workshops is included in the Code Creators Club, for young people aged 10-17. It introduces them to programming through real-world projects such as building a website with HTML and CSS or creating a game with Python. If you are skilled in coding, enjoy engaging young minds, and can volunteer for 1-2 hours each week for five to six weeks, you should contact us to become our next coding facilitator.

4. Help With Creating Digital Resources and Tools

Tutoring or hosting workshops might not be the right fit for you. However, the knowledge shared in an online session could also be repurposed into digital resources. So if you are camera-shy but still interested in helping young people and parents, we can collaborate on designing worksheets, activities, lesson plans and other digital resources.

These tools make a difference by helping our tutors and mentors deliver engaging, structured learning experiences for students. They are also an effective way to reach parents, equipping them with information they might not have access to otherwise.

5. Put Your Digital Media Skills to Use

If you have skills in photography, videography, animation, editing or design, we’d love your help with creative projects. Help us tell stories or produce content that motivates parents and young people to get involved. Your creativity can help us amplify our message to reach more young people, volunteers and parents.

6. Write a Guest Blog for Our Website

If you enjoy writing, consider contributing a blog post. These help us spread useful guidance, career tips, or insights into education and youth development. Guest blogs also help young people and parents learn and stay motivated, while raising awareness of our mission. They are also essential in helping us showcase the diverse voices that make up our community and demonstrate the many ways we can all contribute to shaping a brighter future for the next generation.

7. Volunteer With Us as a Mentor

Mentoring is about showing up, listening, and offering guidance. If you are willing to listen, encourage and guide students in their academic and professional journey, mentorship might be the right path for you!

Our mentors spend two to three hours each month working with their mentees. These sessions give young people a space to talk about their goals, challenges and opportunities with someone who can relate or understand what they are currently dealing with. We talked to one of our volunteers about their experience mentoring with us, and you can read about their experience here.

8. Join Us as a Guest Speaker on a Career Insight Panel

Throughout the year, we work with volunteer graduates and professionals to host virtual career insight events and sessions where they share their career experiences with young people. Discussing your role, industry, and day-to-day responsibilities can help young people picture themselves in a similar environment. Whether your path has been straight or full of twists and turns, sharing your journey can help a young person realise there are many routes to success.

9. Offer Work Experience for Young People

Work experience is one of the most powerful ways to help a young person understand the world beyond school. Whether it’s for a few days or a week, offering work experience gives young people insight into professional environments and helps them build their confidence to make informed choices about their future careers.

10. Lead or Judge a Virtual Challenge

Virtual challenges focus on developing specific skills. These are goal-based online activities or task-based programmes that students can complete individually or in groups. Many of these range from short, self-paced job simulations to intensive, multi-week programmes and competitions.

If you or your company would like to support young people in gaining some work experience or special skills, you can volunteer to judge or run a challenge with us. This will help motivate students, give them a sense of accomplishment and provide an experience they can add to their CV.

11. Fundraise or Donate for Young People

Our goal is to ensure that young people from less-privileged backgrounds do not fall through the gap in the education system. Fundraising, whether individually or through workplace initiatives, helps us provide scholarships, workshops and programmes to support young people who need them most. Every contribution, large or small, helps unlock opportunities for young people from diverse backgrounds.

12. Sponsor Scholarships for Students in Need

An alternative to fundraising is sponsoring a scholarship, and this can be life-changing for students facing financial barriers to academic support. You can help ensure that talented young people can access tutoring, mentoring and enrichment regardless of financial background. By sponsoring a scholar, you help give a young person the support and confidence they need to thrive and succeed in their education and chosen career path. Get in touch with us if you or your organisation can sponsor a student to join our programmes.

13. Refer People to Our Programmes

If you know a young person who could benefit from academic tutoring, mentoring, or enrichment activities, you can connect them with us. A referral might be the first step toward a life-changing opportunity, especially for families who don’t always know where to find support.

Similarly, many adults want to volunteer but don’t know where to start. Recommending GT Scholars to a coworker, university graduate, or friend can inspire them to get involved. A simple introduction could help another young person find a mentor or tutor who believes in them. You can share this link with someone you know who would be interested in working with us as a volunteer or getting their child enrolled in one of our programmes.

14. Invite Us to Speak

Whether at a school, university, workplace or event, inviting our leadership team to speak helps raise awareness and brings educational opportunities to more families. Speaking engagements help parents learn about our programmes and are also helpful in encouraging professionals to volunteer for our programmes.

15. Become an Ambassador

As an ambassador, you would share our mission, programmes and volunteer opportunities within your network. This can be as simple as mentioning us at work, recommending us to schools or youth groups, or inviting your colleagues to volunteer with us. Becoming an ambassador for GT Scholars can help us grow our community of supporters and reach more young people through our programmes.

16. Engage With Us on Social Media

Supporting us online is an easy but powerful way to get involved with helping young people. By liking, commenting, reposting and sharing our content, you can help our programmes reach parents, students, educators and professionals who may not have heard of GT Scholars before. Your online support can help to expand our reach and opportunities for young people more than you may realise.

17. Nominate Us for Awards, Grants or Partnerships

Another way to help GT Scholars gain greater recognition and long-term support is by nominating us for community awards, charity grants, or partnership opportunities. Every nomination strengthens our visibility and credibility, opening doors to new supporters, funders, and collaborators who share our vision for educational equality. Your nomination could be the key to unlocking new resources that allow us to reach more young people, launch new programmes, and make a difference across schools and communities.

18. Feature Us in Your Newsletter or Website

If you have a platform focused on education, youth services, or social mobility, you can feature us in your newsletter or on your website. Sharing information about us and our programmes with your audience helps us expand the circle of support that is available to us. Whether it’s a short spotlight, an interview, a volunteer story, or an opinion piece, you can help raise awareness and encourage more families and professionals to get involved.

19. Help With Consulting or Strategic Advice

Professionals in areas such as education, leadership, business development, operations, HR, technology and marketing can offer insights to support our growth. Even a short conversation or consultation can be incredibly valuable as we continue to develop programmes and expand our reach.

20. Help Us Connect With Volunteer Programmes

Connecting us to volunteering schemes is a great way to support young people while also giving your employees or students meaningful experience. Whether it’s a corporate volunteering scheme or a university programme, any chance to share our mission and programmes can amplify our reach and provide more opportunities for young people to thrive.

21. Share Your Feedback About Our Programmes

Your voice matters more than you think. Whether you’ve volunteered as a tutor, supported a workshop, or mentored a young person, your experiences give us valuable insight into what’s working and where we can do even better. By sharing your honest feedback, testimonials, or taking part in short surveys and research projects, you play a vital role in helping GT Scholars grow and improve.

Conclusion

Every young person deserves the chance to thrive, dream big and access meaningful opportunities. If you want to help us in our mission to support young people, you don’t need a background in education, and you don’t need hours of free time each week. All you need is a willingness to help, in whatever way fits your life, your time, and your skills. Your effort can make a difference in a young person’s journey, and those changes last a lifetime.

By working together, we can help more young people unlock their potential and step confidently into bright futures. If you feel inspired to get involved, you can contact us to get started or find out more about volunteering with us.

Volunteer Spotlight: Coding & digital skills are the new form of literacy – They help young people think critically, solve problems and create impact.

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers What's new?

We spoke with one of our Code Creators volunteer facilitators, Chiderah, about her journey into technology and coding, her passion for social impact and why supporting young people through coding matters to her.

Tell me a little bit about you and your journey into coding/technology.

My journey with coding wasn’t the usual one, as I didn’t have access to Python when I was younger. I started in the development field, analysing data. I decided to do my Master’s in Behavioural Economics and Data Science, in which I was able to further my skills in Python programming. I used Python programming to build games and different coding projects to be able to solve a particular problem.

I then decided to take time each day (especially when I was in school) to analyse anonymised data for healthcare to see how we can use that to solve pending issues with the NHS. After that project, I kept working on different types of projects in my personal capacity, not because I wanted to break ground on anything, but rather to help my consistency when it comes to coding.

GT Scholars was an opportunity for me to teach young people what I’ve learnt and also improve my skills.

Have you had a mentor or tutor in your career or learning journey? How did it help you?

For most of my career, I haven’t had a tutor. Most of my skills in coding and data analysis were self-taught. In terms of mentors, there have been people I looked up to. A friend of mine helped me see that we could actually create change in different ways. Because of that, I looked up to him to solve Claire (a programming language) issues. Another mentor in my life was Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is the top leader at the World Trade Organisation. She used an analytical approach to see how we can drive change. Because of that, I was able to push myself to do things that I wouldn’t normally do, like exploring how we can use tech to accelerate impact.

How important has support been in getting you to where you are today?

Support has been critical. I wouldn’t be where I am if people didn’t share resources, recommend opportunities, and share pointers with me. The tech field can become overwhelming. There’ll be a point where you may feel overwhelmed and think to yourself: “Oh, my code is not working!” “I don’t understand this!” or “Why am I doing this in the first place?”

Having a community that could push me and remind me that there’s a reason why I’m doing what I’m doing made a huge difference. That support actually brought me to the GT Scholars community in the first place.

What inspired you to teach coding to young people?

One major thing that inspired me to teach coding to young people is letting them know that what they are seeing is not rocket science. When somebody breaks down the steps in the most understandable way and walks you through it, you realise that it’s not that difficult. Teaching code is a way of opening doors for individuals, especially for individuals who are trying to venture into some form of software engineering or who want to become a data analyst. It is quite an easy step. You just need to start!

Why did you decide to volunteer your time with GT Scholars and the Code Creators Club?

When I was younger, we didn’t have as much access to information as we have now. That experience motivated me to use my time to help others learn through a structured coding programme. GT Scholars was a perfect fit as it combines mentorship and creativity to build games and interesting tech.

I love using technology to build social impact. I joined GT Scholars to support young people in reaching their goals of coding, which is also my own way of creating impact.

How do you make coding sessions engaging and fun for young people?

When building a coding project, you should build it specifically for your target audience. I broke my work down into the easiest way young people could learn. So instead of saying we are creating a challenging game and instilling fear in them, I decided to break things down into manageable steps. This also built enthusiasm for participants.

Secondly, I was able to use images and characters that were relatable to them. So I gave them nice colourful cars, so they could customise their game by choosing the ones they liked, making workshops more engaging.

Why do you think coding and digital skills are valuable for young people today?

Coding and digital skills are the new form of literacy. Young people must learn how to code and understand different programming languages. It helps them to think critically, solve problems and be more creative.

Currently, data and technology shape everything. If you have skills like coding, you are able to understand how the fundamentals of this were created. For example, when watching TikTok, if you have background knowledge on how the algorithm works, you’ll understand it and think to yourself, “How can I improve this, or how can I build my own?” Coding is really important and valuable for young people, not just because it helps them think critically, but also because it helps them see how they can create impact through their own coding projects.

What skills do you think are most important to be a coding facilitator?

You should have a genuine drive for impact and be passionate about making change and building a community of tech leaders. The second thing is patience. As a coding facilitator, we have different scholars joining the workshops. Understanding that everyone learns at a different pace is important. We had extremely fast, brilliant scholars who were able to complete their assignments immediately, but there were some who were not as fast. Being patient and understanding allows you to be able to accommodate every one of those scholars.

Being flexible to change is also important. Knowing that there’s a possibility that some participants’ coding might not work. You need to pivot and change your work for participants to understand and make changes as needed. You also need strong technical skills, communication and empathy to support young people on their coding journey.

What advice would you give to someone considering a career in tech?

My first advice is to start small and start now. Each year, tech is getting more advanced. We’re now moving beyond just ‘Hello World’ on Python to creating prompts on AI. AI is next, and who knows what comes after AI! Pick one language and just build up a tiny project.

Secondly, you have to be curious and consistent. I did a project with the NHS. I kept practising with different projects, trying to create something.

Thirdly, you have to use your skills for something important to you, whether it’s games, climate or social impact. If you are able to connect your coding skills to build something important to you, you’ll be able to keep that motivation and consistency going. For example, I created a community called IMPACTDATAHUB and started a DATA4Change programme. It’s an opportunity to use coding AI tools and data to drive change. I’m now using tech and data to see how I can drive change in the world. That is also an important thing to have in mind.

Lastly, try to leverage the community. You can join clubs and online communities with other like-minded people who are trying to build digital skills. If you have a community, they are always encouraging you, and tech becomes much easier because you’re not doing it alone.

Start small, be curious and stay consistent!

Volunteer Spotlight – It’s a great process to learn from the person you are teaching!

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers What's new?

Michael, a long-time communication and marketing professional, turned to volunteering with GT Scholars during the pandemic as a way to give back while working remotely. With a love for literature and a genuine interest in helping young people grow, he discovered the joy of learning alongside his scholar. In this interview, he shares the rewarding moments, challenges and lessons he’s gained as a volunteer tutor.

How did you get started as a volunteer tutor with GT Scholars?

I was in the design sector for many years, which was very rewarding. Once the pandemic happened, everything stopped. I began searching for something that I could do remotely and came across GT Scholars. This was the beginning of it.

What did you enjoy most about tutoring your scholar?

I enjoyed the two-way dynamic between tutor and scholar. It’s lovely that you can talk to the scholar about books, and they can talk back to you about their ideas about language. You find that the things you thought you knew you didn’t know so well, and the reasons for that are sometimes, you know, startling. It’s a great process to learn from the person you are teaching.

What challenges have you helped your scholar face?

He’s always tempted to read summaries or online material rather than pick up the book. And, you know, picking up the book is the first thing to do in any circumstance. It may seem that something like Shakespeare is tremendously daunting, which it is, but you don’t get your knowledge by reading summaries on the internet. You get your knowledge by reading the text and by talking about it.

What challenges did you face while tutoring your scholar?

I was a little bit concerned. I’m not a teacher, after all. I’ve always been very fond of literature and haven’t had any formal training since my degree all those years ago. So I was a little bit worried – and thankfully the students helped me out.

What qualities does the scholar have that make them a good tutee?

A willingness to learn, first of all. His willingness to invest his time is the first principle. It hasn’t always been straightforward. The scholar might feel frustrated when I’m going over things for the third time. After some debate, he comes out the other end with really good ideas.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a volunteer tutor?

A willingness to talk to young people on their own terms. They may not have the experience that you have. They may not have the knowledge that you have, but if you start talking down to them, saying “this is the way it is” just because it is, you’re going to be on a highway to nowhere, really. You’ve got to be able to accept feedback. The more feedback you get, the better.

What was the experience as a tutor like?

Rewarding, really. Any learning that you do keeps your mind open. This is an excuse for all kinds of learning – learning about young adults, learning about yourself, learning about books, learning about the way English works. Extraordinary! It’s a great experience.

Would you recommend becoming a tutor with GT Scholars?

Oh, I really enjoy it. It’s only an hour a week, you have to maybe do a little bit of homework, a little bit of planning.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a tutor/mentor with GT Scholars?

I’d say: Don’t worry. There are all kinds of resources you can call upon, and they’re easily accessible. You should be able to make a great start if you’re any kind of, you know, 20th-century, 21st-century person, really.

Volunteer Spotlight – The more you teach, the more you learn!

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers What's new?

With a varied career rooted mainly in teaching English as a foreign language, our volunteer tutor shares how her love for learning and her desire to give back led her to GT Scholars. She understands the lasting impact of support and encouragement, and uses her skills and spare time meaningfully to help young people grow and build confidence.

Tell us about yourself, your background and where you are today.

I have kind of a varied career. It’s mainly based on teaching English as a foreign language. I wanted to use my time in a meaningful way, which is why I looked at volunteering opportunities.

What made you decide to become a volunteer tutor?

When I saw GT Scholars, I liked the ethics and values of the organisation and saw that the requirements for a tutor are within my existing skill sets. I also struggled at school, and I think when you do struggle at school, it can have quite a long-term effect on the way you think about yourself.

I look back and wish I had support in different areas. So I also wanted to help a young person with that.

What did you enjoy most about tutoring?

I think it was making that connection with a young person and seeing her really flourish was quite exciting to see. As a tutor, you often doubt yourself sometimes and think, “Am I helping this person? And am I making an impact?” You don’t always get that immediate feedback from someone. So then, to notice how my tutee improved and grew in confidence was nice to see.

What would you say was the most fulfilling part of tutoring your tutee?

I definitely saw her confidence grow. It doesn’t always happen in a really obvious way. I think just compared the person that I met in our first session and then the person she was at the end, and not saying that she completely changed as a person, and it might not be very obvious, but just seeing how much more forthcoming she was with expressing herself and her ideas. It was really fulfilling.

What goals have you helped your scholar to achieve?

It was mainly for her confidence in English and her writing. By the end of the sessions, she was producing written work that was a little more coherent and well-structured. She always knew what she wanted to write, and it was just believing that what she had to say was relevant and just knowing how to put that information forward.

What qualities do you think your scholar had that made her a good tutee?

She was really engaged, and it was great when we had discussions or when I sent her homework, and I could see that she had taken in that information and then applied it. She was motivated, which is really important. Someone has to want to improve themselves or want to kind of learn from the experience, and she obviously had that. Her work was also very unique. I think that’s really important for all young people to remember that their own ideas are valid and important. This applies to English, where it’s not like Maths with specific formulas, but it is based on the words that you produce and the way that you produce them. She had the motivation and the desire to communicate and express herself, while thinking independently.

Why do you think tutoring is valuable to young people?

I think it’s valuable because, one, it’s just showing themselves that their development is important. I don’t think ever having kind of extra support should ever be seen as a weakness, which it might be in some people’s perspective. It just shows that they value their own learning, and it is good to spend that time on yourself and your learning. I think as well that one style of learning does not fit everyone at all. I’m not knocking schools, but I’m sure that when you’re handling a large class size, you can’t really give everyone that individual kind of support. So it’s about the tutor and the scholar to find out what fits this person’s style of learning and way of thinking, and what’s really going to help them flourish.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a tutor?

The first word that came into my head is patience. Trusting the process and not expecting immediate results is important, and trusting yourself and the scholar. It’s about trust in each other.

How important has support been in getting you where you are today?

I think it’s really important, especially when you’re young. Having supportive voices tell you that you’re doing okay can make all the difference in your self-belief and how you approach situations, and whether you have that growth mindset or not. Of course, we sometimes push this narrative that you just kind of work hard and be independent. But none of us exists in a vacuum. We’re social creatures, after all. So the more we uplift other people, we uplift ourselves as well.

Would you recommend becoming a tutor with GT Scholars, and why?

Yes, and I would. And the reason is that it’s just quite fun, actually! It’s nice to have that weekly check-in from GT Scholars and to have a positive impact on someone. Team members saying, “I would like to give this time to spend with you, to support you”, is what I really appreciate about GT Scholars.

It also doesn’t feel like a massive commitment. It was actually something quite enjoyable to do once a week, and I could manage my time easily. It’s always just been a nice thing to say, “Oh, this is happening this week where I’m going to speak to my tutee, and we’re going to discuss this topic.”

What did you gain from volunteering with GT Scholars?

One thing I gained is that I actually realised how interested I am in English. I have an English degree, so I was actually looking forward to talking about this and to hearing my tutees’ ideas, so that was a pleasant reinforcement of how much I enjoy it. It just felt like an equal exchange, and by hearing her ideas and seeing her progress, I could see my motivation being reflected to me.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a tutor with GT Scholars?

I’d say if they’re thinking about it, then look into it and look through the website. The nice thing is that you have a really clear induction process, so you learn a lot about GT Scholars and how it works. I’d recommend doing it. I can’t imagine anyone who would not benefit from the experience.

Volunteer Spotlight – Mentoring is valuable to everybody, young and old!

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers What's new?

Sinead is one of our volunteers and the star of our latest spotlight. She talks about how she got to where she is today in her career in marketing and communications for huge pharmaceutical companies. She also shares the reasons why she decided to volunteer as a mentor, what her experience has been like and why she believes mentors play a huge role in helping young people with their aspirations.

Tell me a little bit about yourself and what got you to where you are today.

Since I graduated from university, most of my roles have been around client service, account management and communications. I realised early on in my career that I enjoyed working with people; talking to people, communicating with them, getting to know how they work and how they think.

Now, I do the marketing and communications for various medications for cancer, Alzheimer’s, Type 2 diabetes, heart fit ailure, etc. I fell into healthcare and science communications by accident since my degree is not scientific. I only studied science up to GCSE level, as it was the subject I enjoyed the least because I found it hard to apply to the real world. Now, I get to see how science is applied in the development of these drugs, how they are tested and how they benefit patients.

I wonder if my teachers 20 years ago could have seen me doing this because they probably knew that I hated science, and I had to constantly work hard at it. But now I’m working in the area that I hated the most, which is ironic, but that’s the way it works sometimes.

How did you get started as a volunteer mentor with GT Scholars?

I’ve done mentoring in the past with slightly different types of programmes involving younger people and women, and it’s just something that I’ve enjoyed doing. I really like relationship building and getting to know people. So, when I was looking for something new to do in volunteering, I found the GT Scholars’ mentor programme online. I thought that it sounded like a good programme, particularly for young people, because there’s a lot of pressure on them when they’re in their teen years. Around these ages, they’re going to make a lot of decisions that will impact the rest of their lives. I believe it’s a time when having a mentor can be really beneficial.

What part of this mentoring process have you found the most fulfilling?

I think seeing progress from the mentee that I work with has been great. I have been working with my mentee for one term. The first session focused on identifying her objectives and the areas she found challenging at the time. When we had the check-ins, we spoke about strategies to help her overcome some of the things that she had highlighted. At the end of the term, we reflected on where we started and where we are now. It’s nice to see that there has been positive progress.

What goals have you helped your scholar achieve?

There were a lot of things that she had difficulty with; things like time management and prioritising tasks, deciding when to complete homework, assignments and revision. She just got overwhelmed. And again, I thought back to how I felt at that age. I felt overwhelmed, too. But also today, in my professional life, these kinds of pressures don’t disappear.

It often comes down to time management and prioritisation, and it’s important to learn those and nail them from a young age so that when you get into the professional world, you’ve already got some experience. So, one of the main things that we’ve been talking about is how everybody feels overwhelmed at times, how they don’t have enough time to do things and how planning can help with this in the future.

What challenges did you face while mentoring your scholar?

It was just making sure that the advice I gave her didn’t tell her what she should do, because I feel like she needs to make the final decisions for herself, with my encouragement and support, of course. I think that’s probably the thing that, as a mentor, I have to constantly remind myself, that I’m not her friend or her sister or her mother. I’m here to give some kind of support and guidance. But ultimately, I don’t know her outside of the few hours that we’re talking. It is a bit of a challenge, and it’s one that you have to constantly be mindful of.

Why do you think mentoring is valuable to young people?

Mentoring is valuable to everybody, young and old. Mentors play a huge role in everyone’s lives. Young people need to understand this from an early age. Mentors can be friends, good teachers, siblings, or they can be professional mentors. These are people whom you can look to.

It’s good to have different perspectives because when you’re struggling in a specific area, having somebody who’s lived through that experience can help you. That lived experience is often an important thing that a mentor can bring because they can use it to reassure somebody. You can say, “I have an understanding of where you’re coming from” or, “I don’t know exactly how you feel, but I can understand because I’ve had a similar situation”.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a volunteer mentor?

Listening is an essential skill, and by that I mean active listening. It is not simply allowing someone to speak. As a mentor, you have to remember small details that they might tell you, allowing you to bring them up in another session. For example, one of my mentees kept saying that she was lazy during our first session. At the end of the hour, I was thinking, “You’re not lazy because what you’ve described to me sounds like you’ve just got a very fulfilling life. You’ve got lots of things you want to do and achieve. You’re not lazy at all”.

I had to recognise that ‘lazy’ was a word she repeatedly used to describe herself. Picking up on that allowed me to gently challenge her perception and help build her confidence. The language that we use is vital to how we feel about ourselves. So, picking up on the small bits that mentees are giving away can then help to try to change their perspectives on themselves.

What has the experience as a volunteer mentor been like for you?

I enjoyed it. As I said, it’s nice to get to know somebody new and to understand someone else’s perspective. I feel energised when I think about the session, and then having the session and reflecting on it. Also, when you’re mentoring, you don’t just learn about someone else; you’re also learning about yourself. It makes me reflect quite a lot on my own life. I enjoy mentoring because, very often, the thing that connects me with a mentee is our shared experience.

We have all experienced hard times and stressful things that might be slightly different, but these experiences are relatable. So, I think for me, the most fulfilling part of the mentoring process has been getting to know someone new and understanding their story and where they’re coming from and hopefully play an important role in that.

How important has support been in getting you to where you are today?

I think that having mentors throughout your life, and not just when you’re at school, is important. I remember having to pick the appropriate subjects at school and then choosing the right degree at university, and all of the pressure that was involved, especially while trying to get good grades and make friends at school. It reminded me of the support network I had when I was at that age. I realised that not everybody has the support they need, and they might want to have an alternative voice within their support network. I don’t think I’d be here right now, in the place that I am now, without having people that I respected and connected with, who were my mentors. So, I think it’s been hugely important.

What have you gained from volunteering with GT Scholars?

It makes me feel warm and fuzzy to know that I’m hopefully making a positive impact on somebody’s life. It has encouraged me to reflect on my past, present and future self, as some of the challenges that people face when they’re younger re-emerge later in life. So, it’s good to reflect on that.

<h4>What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a mentor with GT Scholars?

I’d say go for it and speak to somebody who is currently a mentor at GT Scholars at the moment. Do some research, be open-minded, and, if you are interested, go for it. Mentoring a positive experience, not just for the mentee but for the mentor as well. I think it’s a great programme and I’d recommend it to anybody!

Volunteer Spotlight – The most fulfilling part of tutoring for me was seeing how my tutee was improving

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers What's new?

One of our incredible volunteers took the time to share about her experience as a volunteer tutor with GT Scholars. She has been an English tutor, working with scholars needing support in English tuition. She talks about how tutoring has been fulfilling for her through the positive impact she’s seen in her tutee and the support from GT Scholars.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

I studied a BA degree in English. I enjoy teaching and am hoping that tutoring will give me an understanding of what it is like. I have been volunteering as an English tutor at GT Scholars.

Tell me a little bit about you and what got you to where you are today?

I am an English student and, when I was at school, I had tutors who I found very helpful. I decided that I wanted to give back and instil a passion in other people.

What made you decide to become a volunteer tutor?

I was looking for volunteering opportunities around 2019 when I came across your advert for GT Scholars and I applied. I completed the process and started in April 2020. I was initially hesitant about it as I had never tutored before, but the application process went smoothly, and the training I received was helpful. It gives you enough independence without leaving you completely on your own.

What did you enjoy most about tutoring your scholar?

I enjoy preparing for the lessons. I enjoyed getting the resources ready and putting them together for my scholar. Once she has completed the work, I mark it and then give her feedback. I enjoy the whole process of doing this, but I would say that the lessons are particularly fun as I find out my scholar’s own interpretations and ideas. We have productive discussions on texts she’s studying, of which I may have studied, too. It’s interesting to hear her ideas and help her build on them.

What part of this tutoring process have you found the most fulfilling?

The most fulfilling part for me was seeing how my tutee was improving. At the end of each term, I give her an assessment to see how much she has improved and where she still needs to improve. It’s always lovely to see how much she’s improved. I think another fulfilling part of this process is building a scholar-tutor relationship, where I’ve seen increasingly how she’s open with the things she struggles with and also the aspects of her GCSEs in English Language and Literature that she does find stimulating.

What goals have you helped your scholar to achieve?

I tutored her in English Language and Literature. I have seen her get more confident in analysing texts. She also gives more detailed answers and, on the whole, she is more confident. She also shows much interest and isn’t afraid to give her ideas a go.

What challenges have you helped your scholar face?

I helped my scholar with confidence. She was always responsive, but in terms of her homework, it’s become much more detailed. She enjoys her English more now compared to when she first started. She can identify the similarities quicker.

What challenges did you face while tutoring your scholar?

In the beginning, I was trying to find out what she was struggling with and trying to nail it down. I was also not sure if what was going to get revised in the sessions needed to be revised. At the start of the programme, we do a mandatory start-of-term assessment, which really helped in terms of nailing down certain areas to begin working on. But I think the mandatory end-of-term assessments that are completed regularly really help to chart my scholar’s progress, and plan out what we need to work on and when we should.

What part of the volunteering process have you found the most fulfilling?

In the beginning, I was learning how to be a good tutor. I was very nervous as I had never done tutoring before. There was also the preparation of lessons to suit her needs. It was so fulfilling to see what she was capable of achieving.

What qualities does your tutee have that make her a good tutee?

She is always determined to do well. She always gives her best and always has something to say. She is always trying to improve and, when she receives feedback, she takes it on. If I give her homework, she always does it, and is always open and honest about where she’s struggling.

Why do you think tutoring is valuable to young people?

I believe it’s valuable to young people because it helps as a tutor to help the tutee understand your [tutor’s] favourite subject. It also made me appreciate the tutors that I had. I realised how much things have changed in a few years. It makes you look at your flaws as well. I appreciated the process.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a volunteer tutor?

I think that you need to be a good listener. Listen to the scholar and pick up through conversation about their needs. You also need to help them with their struggles and you have to be very understanding. You also, most importantly, need to be willing to learn from your scholar, too.

What was the experience as a volunteer English tutor like for you?

I enjoyed the experience. You get to appreciate the process of tutoring. I have gained a lot of skills. I have been able to see how I can help her improve. I have become a better listener and a better tutor.

How important has support been in getting you to where you are today?

I have been a tutor and a tutee. I have been fortunate to have been in both positions, which I think has helped me. I had tutors who were always helpful, and they boosted my confidence. They helped me see subjects from a different perspective, and I am trying to do the same with my scholar. You can’t force anyone to enjoy anything, but you can come up with creative and sometimes unconventional ways to help them see the subject from another angle that might help convert them.

Would you recommend becoming a tutor with GT Scholars?

GT Scholars has been very supportive. We get regular check-ins by phone and email, and when I contact them about any issues, they are very responsive and helpful. The tutoring itself is only 1 hour a week, so it’s very flexible, and something you could quite fit alongside your studying or work. It is a great experience because you’re constantly learning, and you know you’re not entirely on your own!

What have you gained from volunteering with GT Scholars?

I have learnt how to be a good tutor, one who is understanding and supportive. I know that if I need help, I can get help through GT Scholars.

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a tutor with GT Scholars?

I would say go for it! I found GT Scholars supportive and it has been a wonderful experience being a tutor. They are always there to help you with the subject that you enjoy and choose to tutor. Whether you’re new to tutoring or not, you’ll gain invaluable experience from GT Scholars!

Volunteers spotlight – It has been rewarding to see the scholars that I work with build their confidence through our conversations

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers

Our team of experienced volunteers do an amazing job in tutoring and mentoring our scholars to their desired goals. We had an opportunity to interview Iona, who has been a volunteer mentor with us since 2020. Iona found it very rewarding to be able to positively impact the life of young people and shares how her experience volunteering as a mentor with the GT Scholars programme has been.

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

I’m currently a Geotechnical Engineer. I work in the offshore wind industry, where I design offshore wind turbine foundations. I did my undergraduate and PhD at Oxford. After completing experiments as part of my PhD, I decided to move into the industry and apply those skills in the real world.

Tell me a little bit about you and what got you to where you are today?

At school, I enjoyed Science and Maths, Art, and more practical subjects. I did a bit of research and decided that engineering might be a good fit. I did what’s called a Head Start residential course, where you can go and stay at the University for about four days. They give you a taster of what it’s like to study that subject at University. Doing this convinced me that engineering was a good fit for me and gave me the confidence to apply for it at University.

What made you decide to become a volunteer mentor?

While I was at university, I engaged in quite a bit of outreach work and found it rewarding and wanted to continue that when I moved to London. I feel that I’ve benefited from lots of advice from different places, to help me get to where I am today. In my opinion, the inputs that you get from people who are outside of your school or family can be helpful and can maybe help build confidence in big decisions. I felt that I could give back and be involved with young people, to hopefully help navigate through some of the big decisions.

How did you get started as a volunteer mentor with GT Scholars?

I applied to GT Scholars online, and I was open to being either a mentor or a tutor. Although I wasn’t quite sure how I could or would be most helpful, so I spoke with GT Scholars about what might be best. I decided a mentor would be a good idea. We had online training, which was thorough and put me in a good position to take it on.

What did you enjoy most about mentoring your scholar?

It has been rewarding to see the scholars that I work with build their confidence through our conversations. We’ve discussed such a wide variety of topics. From revision and studying strategies to personal strengths and weaknesses and how that impacts the way we study and learn and build relationships. It’s just been great to provide support, and a bit of a sounding board, through this period as well, with school being on and off and having a lot of uncertainty with exams.

What goals have you helped your scholar to achieve?

At the start, we set a lot of goals for the kind of grades to achieve, and of course, that’s been almost impossible this last year, so we’ve planned more short-term goals. We’ve focussed quite a lot on discussing subjects such as the growth mindset and understanding strengths and different personalities. We did this during the period when there was uncertainty in school, so we turned our focus away from exams, which I think was helpful. Recently, I’ve helped my scholar plan revision. We are trying to minimise stress by prioritising the different tasks, particularly now where there’s quite a lot coming up at once.

What part of the volunteering process have you found the most fulfilling?

I suppose just being there to support someone else through this strange year, knowing that I have made some small contribution to their life. I think it’s valuable in having or exposing yourself to experiences or opinions or just advice from someone outside of your school or family life, providing a slight alternative touchpoint.

What do you think is the most important skill to have as a volunteer tutor/mentor?

Listening and communicating are valuable skills to have as a mentor. Being able to lend an ear to whatever is going on and trying your best to think of creative ways to discuss it further. Having meaningful conversations is a really crucial part of mentoring.

What was the experience as a volunteer mentor, like for you?

It’s been a great experience and nice to feel that you’re making a difference.

And from GT Scholars, it’s been a smooth experience with excellent communication. I have felt very well supported throughout the process.

How important has support been in getting you to where you are today?

Support has been essential, particularly with big decisions. You lean on those around you to help you out with those decisions. One of the reasons I think mentoring is so valuable is that it’s providing an alternative form of support, which can be really valuable.

Would you recommend becoming a mentor with GT Scholars?

Yes!

What have you gained from volunteering with GT Scholars?

I’ve developed my communication skills. I don’t usually talk to young people that much, so I had some learning here. I’ve also learnt from some of the worksheets I’ve done together with my Scholar – for example on ‘growth mindset’!

What would you say to anyone thinking of becoming a mentor with GT Scholars?

I would say give it a go. The commitment is manageable. But at the same time, it’s enough of a commitment to feel like you’re involved in something good. The support from GT Scholars is also excellent, so you should feel well supported.

Volunteer Spotlight – The most fulfilling part is knowing that you are positively contributing to someone’s future.

by GT Scholars Online volunteering Volunteer Spotlight Volunteers

We love our spotlight interviews where we get the opportunity to talk to our volunteers at GT Scholars! Our latest spotlight is on one of our volunteer mentors, Helen. She talks about the role that mentorship has played in her journey to success. Helen is passionate about sustainable energy, societal issues and climate change. She shares more about her experience as a volunteer mentor at GT Scholars!

Tell me a little bit about you and what got you to where you are today?

Yes, sure. Like most teenagers, and especially being Asian, the expectation was to get good grades, go to a good university and get a good degree. I did all of that, but I think the part that people don’t prepare for is stepping into the working world – that professional life. Like many others, I didn’t know what I wanted to do after university.

I tried out a variety of roles; mainly in climate change and the energy industry. I found it interesting and I wanted to continue in those fields. As you know, subjects and societal issues like climate change have become more critical. So, it’s great to be able to participate and contribute to that. I’m currently working as a pricing analyst for EDF Energy, and I’ve been with the company for almost two years now.

What made you decide to become a volunteer mentor?

I had just moved to London and knew that I wanted to engage in some volunteering opportunities. I just didn’t know where and what I valued, so I had to look inward and say, “What do I believe in?” and I believe in quality education. So GT Scholars popped up in the search engine when I used this volunteering site to search for opportunities at the time and it really resonated with me. So I just jumped at the opportunity to offer my time to volunteer here.

Did you have a mentor as a young person?

Yeah, growing up, my family didn’t have much, so the mentoring that I got was, I guess, let’s call it “unofficial mentoring”. This was mainly from family and friends who were older than me and it shaped who I am as a person and the opportunities that I created for myself in return. And so, what GT Scholars is doing resonates within me, because I see it as leveling the playing field for everyone, no matter what their background. It allows them to have an equal chance at having a successful future career with resources that they can easily access as well. I think that’s important.

What did you enjoy most about mentoring your scholar?

I think it’s interesting to see what life is like for the younger generation these days. It’s changed a lot since I was young. And so it’s interesting to see what they value and things like that. I find it very inspiring because these kids are much more proactive than I was at that age. We have seen the world grow and become more competitive, and I think it’s great that these kids are taking the expertise or resources they have and using that to their advantage.

What goals have you helped your scholar to achieve?

So often, when you engage with mentees, it’s not on their own accord and is often guided by the parent. It’s a collaborative journey to understand what they want to gain from these mentor sessions. And usually, it is a career route. For example, trying to figure out an action plan on becoming a doctor, a nurse or a teacher. It’s really about giving them the tools to self-serve and see what is out there and the different routes that will enable them to become whatever they want to be.

The example I gave for doctors and nurses was one of my previous mentee’s aspirations. They had to figure out what they needed to do in order to go into one of these professions. And it was a lot of juggling for both of us because I’m not in that profession and I wasn’t entirely sure myself. So, I needed to focus on giving them the tools they needed, based on what it takes for them to go into one of these professions.

What challenges have you helped your scholar to face?

Sometimes, scholars come to you for advice on how to manage soft skills, like time management or how best to revise, and often, I would borrow it from my own experiences of taking something that seems challenging and breaking it down into smaller tasks.

So, as an example, one mentee had to memorise a paragraph of text. What I suggested is that they learn each sentence one by one without trying to remember the entire section at the same time because that can be overwhelming. And so, from that, they didn’t just learn how to tackle that particular challenge, but how to break big tasks into smaller steps. It is a life skill anyway.

What part of this mentoring process have you found the most fulfilling?

The most fulfilling part is knowing that you are positively contributing to someone’s future. I often think that because these children are so young, thinking about things like a career may not make sense to them now. I often hope that they will use the things we have spoken about, the resources that I have given them and the guidance I’ve provided in the future. That they’ll be able to say, “Hang on, I’ve done this before” or, “I was shown this and given tips on that. So, let’s revisit that and see what I can do”. I think that will set them ahead of their peers – knowing where to go for things and using their initiative.

What challenges did you face while mentoring your scholar?

So I’d say the main challenge was understanding what they wanted to gain out of the mentoring sessions because, often, it wasn’t led by them, but their parents instead. So, yes, figuring out why they were here was the biggest challenge. But after that, it becomes more of a collaborative approach. It’s not just what you want to talk about because what they want to discuss is also really important and finding that blended approach to get the most out of the mentoring sessions.

Why do you think mentoring is valuable to young people?

So, I feel not everyone has access to resources and advice and people need to know that it is out there; that people are willing to give their free time to give you the down-low on whatever you want to know. Especially since we’ve all been through it before. Having someone there to provide support to you is incredibly important, especially when you really need it. It’s a time of discovering, growing and figuring out your interests as well. And it’s sometimes good to have a sounding board there to say, “Is this right or not”? And I certainly benefited a lot from that growing up. So, I speak from first-hand experience when I say that mentoring is very valuable.

What was the experience as a volunteer mentor like for you?

Mentoring at GT Scholars has given me the opportunity to refine my skills and to talk to people from different audiences. It’s one of those invaluable experiences, that’s how important it is. It has also been so rewarding. I feel fortunate that people are placing their trust in me on a topic that is very, very important to them. And as I said, I’ve always seen the role of a mentor as one that gives you the tools to explore, rather than to influence your decisions. So giving them the options to explore in their life is incredibly important.

How important has support been in getting you to where you are today?

It has been extremely important, more than I give credit to. You don’t always realise how something affects you unconsciously. The advice and the encouragement that was given to me have had a massive impact on the conscious decisions that I’ve made and in driving me to where I am today. This has been evident in every decision I made; taking a thousand subjects, changing schools, choosing universities and choosing my degree. Sometimes those decisions have been made alone, but, you know, some of those decisions have been made not just by myself, but with people’s support behind me.

Would you recommend becoming a mentor with GT scholars?

I’d say do it! It’s a very flexible programme, and it’s easy to fit into your schedule and your life. And also, you know, you’re not just enriching your own life, but you’re enhancing someone else’s life too. I think what GT Scholars are trying to achieve is admirable and you get a lot out of it. But, you know, the most important thing is that the mentees get a lot out of it as well. And it is such an invaluable resource to people who don’t have access to this kind of support in their personal lives.