I Want To Become A Mentor And Support Young People Safely And Effectively
- Ross Thompson
- 3 days ago
- 6 min read
If you're thinking “I want to become a mentor”, great! Learn how to mentor confidently and professionally with strategic training and safeguarding supervision.
Becoming A Mentor: When “I Want To Become A Mentor” Turns Into A Reality
You find yourself working with a child or young person. Perhaps you're helping them with something. Perhaps your giving them some advice. You may be a volunteer. You may be their teacher. You may be their trusted adult in a school or youth setting.
You see potential. You see risk. You see behaviour that’s communicating far more than words ever could...
And a thought lands: “I want to become a mentor.”
Not because it sounds good but because you know your presence, consistency and insight could genuinely change the direction of someone’s life.
You could make a difference. You could be the difference.
If you work with children and young people – as a teacher, pastoral lead, safeguarding professional, youth worker, support staff, etc – this pull towards mentoring is rarely accidental.
It comes from your lived experience, professional exposure and an awareness that relationships change outcomes.
But here’s the part most people don’t talk about and that often gets overlooked.
Wanting to mentor and being equipped to mentor safely, confidently and effectively are two very different things.
This blog post is for professionals who are thinking:
I want to become a mentor but don’t know where to start.
I want to be a mentor without overstepping boundaries.
I want to mentor someone and do it properly, not guess my way through.
Let’s unpack what becoming a mentor really involves, the impact it has and how professional mentoring training and supervision turn good intentions into powerful, ethical practice.
Why So Many Professionals Say “I Want To Become A Mentor”
You might recognise yourself in one of these situations:
You’re already the “go-to” adult for young people who are struggling.
You notice certain pupils open up to you more than others.
You’re supporting behaviour, attendance or emotional regulation informally.
You’re holding safeguarding concerns that go beyond checklists and policies.
You’re managing complex cases and feel the emotional weight of responsibility.
You're a good listener - or you're always told that you are.
At some point, the role quietly shifts.
You stop just responding. You start guiding.
And that’s when the idea hits you: I want to become a mentor.
But mentoring isn’t just being approachable or caring. When done properly, it’s structured, intentional and psychologically informed.
And when done badly, it can unintentionally cause harm to the young person and to the professional.
What Mentoring Really Is (And What It Definitely Isn’t)
One of the biggest misconceptions is that mentoring is simply a “supportive conversation”.
In reality, mentoring sits at the heart of:
Emotional safety.
Boundaries and ethics.
Safeguarding awareness.
Behavioural understanding.
Trauma-informed practice.
Accountability and reflection.
Mentoring Is NOT:
Being a rescuer.
Replacing therapy or counselling.
Becoming emotionally over-involved.
Working outside safeguarding frameworks.
“Wing it and hope for the best”.
Mentoring IS:
Purposeful relationship-building.
Clear roles and expectations.
Empowerment, not dependency.
Structured reflection and challenge.
Professional curiosity.
Safeguarded, supervised practice.
If you’ve ever thought “I want to mentor someone but I’m worried about getting it wrong”, that concern is actually a sign of professionalism.
The Real Impact Of Mentoring On Children And Young People
When mentoring is done well, the impact is often profound and long-lasting.
I’ve worked in safeguarding, mentoring and behaviour support for over 16 years, and I’ve seen first-hand what happens when a young person experiences consistent, boundaried and emotionally attuned mentoring.
Mentoring can:
Improve emotional regulation and self-awareness.
Increase engagement with education or provision.
Reduce risk-taking and harmful behaviours.
Build trust in adults and systems.
Strengthen resilience and decision-making.
Help young people reframe identity and self-belief.
Often, the mentor becomes the first safe adult who listens without judgement but still holds clear expectations.
That balance is a skillset.
“I Want To Be A Mentor” – The Hidden Responsibilities Professionals Must Understand
If you work with children and young people, mentoring carries added responsibility.
You’re mentoring within:
Safeguarding frameworks.
Organisational accountability.
Professional standards.
Legal and ethical boundaries.
This is where many well-meaning professionals feel stuck.
They want to step up but they fear:
Saying the wrong thing.
Missing a safeguarding concern.
Becoming emotionally overwhelmed.
Being unsupported or isolated.
Carrying too much responsibility alone.
This is exactly why professional mentoring training and supervision are essential rather than just optional extras.
The Key Steps To Becoming A Mentor (The Right Way)
If you’re serious about becoming a mentor, these steps matter.
1. Clarify Your Role And Purpose
Ask yourself:
Who do I want to mentor?
In what context?
What outcomes am I aiming for?
Mentoring without clarity leads to blurred boundaries.
2. Understand Safeguarding Through A Mentoring Perspective
Mentoring relationships often surface disclosures. You must know:
What to do.
How to respond.
When to escalate.
How to record and reflect.
This is especially critical for DSLs (Designated Safeguarding Leads) and pastoral staff in schools and youth settings.
3. Develop Mentoring-Specific Skills
These include:
Active listening beyond the surface.
Questioning that promotes ownership.
Managing resistance and avoidance.
Emotional containment.
Ending mentoring relationships safely.
4. Access Ongoing Supervision
Supervision protects:
You.
The young person.
Your organisation.
It provides space to reflect, process, challenge and grow. Many professionals feel immediate relief once they experience it.
Strategic Mentoring Training: Turning “I Want To Become A Mentor” Into Capability
This is exactly why I deliver Strategic Mentoring Training for Professionals.
This training is designed specifically for professionals who work with children and young people and want to mentor ethically, confidently and effectively.
What Makes This Training Different?
This isn’t heavy, generic training.
It’s based around:
Real safeguarding practice.
Real mentoring challenges.
Real-world scenarios professionals face daily.
You’ll learn how to:
Structure mentoring relationships safely.
Use mentoring as a tool for behaviour change.
Manage emotional complexity without burnout.
Avoid dependency and over-involvement.
Align mentoring with safeguarding responsibilities.
This training supports:
Pastoral staff.
DSLs and deputy DSLs.
Behaviour mentors.
Youth workers.
SEN and inclusion leads.
Managers overseeing mentoring provision.
You can explore Strategic Mentoring Training here.
Group Safeguarding Supervision: The Missing Piece Most Professionals Don’t Realise They Need
Even with training, mentoring can feel heavy if you’re holding things alone.
This is where Group Safeguarding Supervision becomes transformational.
Supervision is not performance management. It’s not judgement. It’s professional support.
In Group Safeguarding Supervision, You Gain:
A safe space to reflect on complex cases.
Shared learning from other professionals.
Increased confidence in decision-making.
Reduced emotional load and burnout risk.
Stronger safeguarding judgement.
Many professionals tell me:
“I didn’t realise how much I was holding until I had space to put it down.”
Group supervision is also incredibly powerful for:
Normalising challenges.
Reducing isolation.
Strengthening professional resilience.
And for those who prefer privacy or have specific roles, one-to-one safeguarding supervision is also available
.
Why Supervision Is Essential If You Want To Mentor Someone Long-Term
If you’re thinking “I want to mentor someone properly”, supervision isn’t optional.
Mentoring without supervision can lead to:
Emotional overload.
Missed safeguarding cues.
Blurred boundaries.
Unconscious bias.
Burnout.
With supervision, mentoring becomes:
Sustainable.
Reflective.
Safer.
More effective.
This is how professionals stay in the work without losing themselves in it.
How Becoming A Mentor Changes You Too
One of the most overlooked aspects of mentoring is how much it develops you.
Professionals who engage in structured mentoring and supervision often report:
Increased confidence in difficult conversations.
Sharper professional judgement.
Stronger emotional boundaries.
Greater job satisfaction.
Renewed sense of purpose.
Mentoring, when done properly, deepens leadership skills, emotional intelligence and resilience.
It doesn’t just change outcomes for young people. It changes how you show up as a professional.
If You’re Thinking “I Want To Become A Mentor”, Here’s Your Next Step
If you:
Want to become a mentor.
Want to be a mentor safely and professionally.
Want to mentor someone without burning out.
Want to upskill within safeguarding frameworks.
Then Strategic Mentoring Training combined with Safeguarding Supervision is the most effective route forward.
Ready To Get Started?
Becoming a mentor isn’t about having all the answers.
It’s about having the right support, training and reflection so your impact is positive, ethical and sustainable.
If the thought “I want to become a mentor” has been sitting with you for a while, this is your sign to take the next step with confidence, clarity and professional integrity.
