Mentor Link
Charity 1169026
Overview
Summary
Mentor Link appears to operate as a relationship-based early-intervention organisation for children and young people at risk of disengaging from education and community life. Its role extends beyond school-attendance support: it combines one-to-one mentoring with social, emotional and therapeutic support, and can involve families. The available evidence suggests that its delivery model depends on a substantial network of volunteer mentors and school partnerships, positioning it as a bridge between education settings, families and specialist wellbeing support across the Midlands.
Operational geography
Coverage: Regional
Operational areas:
Evidence and reasoning
Supporting evidence
Remaining uncertainties
- Direct evidence on Mentor Link's website indicates that it currently recruits mentors and supports young people in Birmingham, but it does not identify any Birmingham schools, wards, neighbourhoods or service venues. It is therefore not possible to evidence an operational area using the supplied Birmingham ward or place identifiers.
- The charity's delivery model is primarily school-based: mentors visit children in their schools for weekly one-to-one support. Its reported school partnerships materially extend its reach, but the locations and names of those partnerships are not publicly specified.
- The available evidence supports Birmingham as part of Mentor Link's wider regional delivery footprint, rather than demonstrating that its Birmingham activity is citywide. It may operate across multiple parts of the city, but this remains unverified.
- The supplied evidence identifies a contact address in Stourport-on-Severn, Worcestershire, but does not provide evidence of a physical operational site within Birmingham.
Additional evidence needed
- A current list, map or anonymised ward-level breakdown of Birmingham school partnerships or active mentoring placements.
- Confirmation from Mentor Link of whether it currently delivers in Birmingham schools and, if so, whether delivery is concentrated in particular districts or distributed across the city.
- Details of any Birmingham-based office, regular delivery venue or formal local partnership that functions as an operational base.
Areas of work
- Education/training
- General Charitable Purposes
- The Advancement Of Health Or Saving Of Lives
- The Prevention Or Relief Of Poverty
Who they help
- Children/young People
- Other Defined Groups
How they help
- Provides Advocacy/advice/information
- Provides Services
Discoveries involving this organisation
The Atlas has not published any Discoveries involving this organisation yet.
Observations
A bridge around, not just within, schools
Mentor Link may address disengagement as a wider social and emotional issue rather than solely an educational problem. Its work appears to connect schools with young people’s family circumstances, wellbeing and transition to adulthood.
Why it matters
This helps distinguish the organisation from a conventional tutoring or attendance service. Its potential value may lie in coordinating support around a young person when school alone is not enough.
Show evidence
“The charity’s objects include mentoring, training and development, talking therapies, and support for young people and their families.”
Source:Charity Commission“Mentor Link provides social, emotional and therapeutic support to distressed children and young people.”
Source:Organisation
Scale appears to be built through distributed relationships
The organisation appears to rely on a networked delivery model, with mentors working through many school relationships rather than a single-site service.
Why it matters
Its capacity and local influence may depend as much on maintaining mentor recruitment and school trust as on direct service expertise. This creates possible opportunities for collaboration, but also potential dependence on volunteer availability and school engagement.
Show evidence
“The website reports 190 current mentors, 250 children mentored per week and 128 current school partnerships.”
Source:Organisation“The service is delivered mainly, but not exclusively, in schools.”
Source:Charity Commission
Its geographic identity may be broader than its formal remit
Mentor Link may have developed operational reach beyond the West Midlands focus stated in its charitable objects, describing its activity across the Midlands and South Midlands.
Why it matters
This could indicate growing demand, cross-boundary partnerships or an evolving service footprint. It would be useful to understand whether provision is concentrated locally or spread across a wider region.
Show evidence
“The charity’s objects refer to young people in the West Midlands region.”
Source:Charity Commission“Mentor Link operates in the Midlands and South Midlands area.”
Source:Charity Commission
- Which young people are prioritised, and how need, referral routes and outcomes are assessed.
- How mentoring, therapeutic support and family work are combined in practice.
- Whether mentor capacity is volunteer-led, paid, or mixed, and how consistently support is available across partner schools.
Remaining uncertainties
- Recent annual reports or impact data showing outcomes, referral sources, demographics and geographic distribution.
- Information on staffing, mentor training, safeguarding arrangements, partnership agreements and waiting times.
Additional evidence needed
Charity Commission profile
Activities
The provision of a one to one mentoring service to young adults who are at risk of disengaging from their learning. Our aim is to improve their engagement in learning and the service is delivered mainly but not exclusively delivered in schools and can include support to the families of these young people. Mentor link operates in the Midlands and South Midlands area.
Charity objects
To advance the education of those young people in the West Midlands (Region) who are disengaged or at risk of disengaging themselves from the community and mainstream education. In particular but not exclusively by provision of a mentoring, training and development and talking therapies services for the young people and their families with the aim of re-engaging young people back into their learning so that they are better able to identify and meet their needs, participate more fully in society and make a successful transition to adulthood.