Hello! I’m Jolene and I’ve been a TKN mentor for 8 months. I can, hand-on-heart say that it has been one of the best journey’s I have embarked on and here’s why:

I have learnt things, met people, and done activities that I couldn’t even have imagined at the start. I knew I wanted to volunteer with children, but I wasn’t sure if TKN Mentoring was the right fit for me.

My mentee is one of the kindest, smartest, and most deserving human beings I have ever come across. Being matched with him has been an honour. Our time together is fun, engaging and I am constantly learning to look at the world through his eyes. I come away from every session feeling like I have received rather than given.

I have met such incredible volunteers and trainers from all walks of life at the meetups. The trainings are informative, and I have learnt so much about the system and about myself. I could go on and on! The people involved in this are the heartbeat of love and kindness.

My mentee and I have a little over 4 months left together and I am still so excited to see what each session brings!

For anyone considering mentoring or at the beginning of their mentoring journey:

1. In 8 months, my mentee has never turned his nose up to an activity or, ‘found it boring’ – which was my biggest fear. He surprised me constantly by being content with simply my being there in kindness and presence. He told me recently that having me there to, ‘express his feelings to’ has been one of his favourite things about our time together.
2. The trainings, mentor meetups and group mentoring are fun, interactive and you will meet salt of the earth people – I have made friends who I meet up with outside of TKN.
3. The Kids Network is doing such valuable work in littler Londoners lives, I am so inspired by the work they do and that I can contribute to it.
4. This is a weekly commitment, but I had planned holidays and I was able to speak to my mentee over a call. His family have also been flexible to move things around when we have needed to.
5. 10/10 recommend!

Anyway, the 11-year-old boy who I get to hang out with for a few hours every weekend, goes to secondary school soon and as he transitions to a new phase in his life, I watch on like a proud older sister who is so very lucky to be a part of his life.

(I’m not crying, you are!)”