more than just a mentor

As part of our Christmas appeal, we're sharing some real-life stories about our services. The first is from Carola, a KRAN Mentor.

KRAN introduced me to a young person from Eritrea and I started to mentor her more than two years ago. 

I was new to this voluntary role, but have embraced it with an open mind, an interest and a loving care. My young person (now 19) left her country around primary school age, traveled through many countries seeking refuge, growing up very quickly, taking on responsibilities for her survival, and eventually arriving in England as a teenager. 

As part of the mentorship, we meet regularly, have a good talk about life and college, and I help with any problems she might have. We have a laugh, we engage in different activities, and over time I have been amazed by the positive, kind attitude this young person has. 

She has made great progress with her English and is managing the responsibilities of trying to settle into England with its numerous challenges. She has made new friends - and our partnership has grown into a friendship too. 

I often tell her that she should be very proud of herself in all that she has achieved so far and that there’s more to come!

Please help our mentoring work to continue by donating to our Christmas campaign. You can do this by clicking the link at the top of this page. Here are some examples of what your money can buy:

£6 = meal for a young person meeting with their mentor

£20 = full day’s training session for a new mentor

£100 =  new mentoring partnership for a month (providing matching, training, and ongoing support).