Peerly Mentoring at YES

ABOUT PEERLY

Peerly is YES’s peer mentoring programme for children and young people aged 11–18. The programme provides a safe, supportive space where young people can explore challenges, build confidence, and work towards positive change with a trained peer mentor.

Peerly offers early support with a range of issues that can affect wellbeing, including school transitions, bullying, relationships, identity, confidence, emotional wellbeing, and managing change.

How Peerly Works

Peerly is delivered using a semistructured mentoring model, combining consistency with flexibility. Sessions are guided by themed modules that were developed with input from young people, ensuring the programme is relevant, empowering, and youthcentred.

At the beginning of the programme, the mentee and mentor:

Get to know each other
Talk about what the young person would like support with
Agree SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Timebound) to guide the mentoring journey

From there, sessions focus on modules chosen by the young person, giving them ownership over their experience.

Mentoring Modules

The programme includes compulsory start and end sessions, with additional modules selected based on the young person’s needs and goals.

Getting to Know Each Other

A welcoming introduction session focused on building rapport, understanding mentoring, and creating a safe, comfortable space together.

Identifying Goals

A practical session helping young people explore what they want to work on and set meaningful, achievable goals

Understanding Myself

An opportunity to explore identity, strengths, values, and what makes each young person unique.

Healthy Coping & Resilience

A session that builds emotional resilience by teaching healthy coping strategies for stress and difficult feelings.

Communication Skills

A skillsbased module focused on improving communication, listening, and expressing thoughts and feelings confidently.

Personal & Family Relationships

A reflective session exploring relationships, connection, trust, boundaries, and sources of support.

Boundaries & Respect

A module that helps young people understand personal boundaries and learn how to express them respectfully and confidently.

Managing Conflict

A practical session teaching tools for staying calm, understanding triggers, and resolving conflict safely and fairly.

SelfAdvocacy & Confidence

A confidence building module that supports young people to recognise their strengths and speak up for their needs.

Identity & Belonging

A reflective space to explore identity, belonging, and the people or places where young people feel accepted.

Transitions & Change

A session helping young people understand and cope with change while building confidence for future transitions.

Digital Wellbeing & Online Behaviour

A focused module exploring healthy online habits, digital safety, and maintaining a good balance with technology.

Employability

A practical introduction to workrelated skills, including strengths, CV basics, and future career ideas.

Endings

A supportive final session reflecting on progress, celebrating achievements, and preparing for life after mentoring.

Peer Mentors and Support

Peer mentors are aged 18+, trained, and selected for their supportive, young person centred approach. Many have lived experience or understanding of the issues their mentees want support with. Mentors receive regular supervision and safeguarding support.

Each mentee is supported by the Youth Services and Development Lead, with checkins throughout the programme to ensure the mentoring feels safe, helpful, and meaningful.

Programme Structure

Length: Usually 6–8 sessions (depending on need)
Frequency: Weekly or fortnightly
Session length: 60–90 minutes
Delivery: Primarily in person, with some flexibility for online sessions
Location: YES, offices in High Wycombe

If you’re 18 or over and want to support young people to build confidence, feel heard, and move forward, Peerly could be for you.

As a Peerly mentor, you’ll receive training, ongoing support, and supervision, and you’ll use a clear mentoring framework to make a real difference through onetoone support.

Find out more or apply to become a Peer Mentor today.

Peerly Mentor

Location: High Wycombe
Hours: Flexible, based on mentoring sessions (typically 60-90 minutes per session, including admin time). Mentoring typically lasts 6-8 weeks (6-8 sessions).
Salary: £30 per session (90 minutes including admin). £80 for full-day training
Reports to: Youth Services Manager

About the role:

The Peer Mentor will provide one-to-one mentoring support to young people (aged 11-18) accessing the Youth Enquiry Service (YES). The role focuses on building empathetic, non-judgmental, supportive relationships, helping young people explore challenges, develop confidence, and work towards personal goals.

Please read Job description before applying

If you’re aged 11–18 and would like someone to talk to about things that matter to you, Peerly offers a safe, supportive space to get help.

You’ll be matched with a trained peer mentor and work together to set goals, explore challenges, and build confidence at your own pace.

Apply to join Peerly or get in touch to find out more.