Thank you for agreeing to be an Arts Emergency Mentoring Partner to help us provide mentoring, support and opportunities for the next generation! Please read through the information below and use the form to formalise the partnership.
Please note that we partner with schools, colleges, and youth-organisations on a case-by-case basis and only have capacity for a certain number of young people per year. For this reason, our Partners are usually invite-only and you cannot fill out the form below without a unique link.
You can email mentoring@arts-emergency.org to talk this through.
The Agreement between Arts Emergency and you, the Partner!
This web-page outlines an Agreement between the two of us, outlining the responsibilities and commitments involved in the delivery of a safe and successful mentoring programme. This Agreement is all about describing the way we want to work together, but it is not intended to create any legally binding obligations.
Firstly, what is mentoring at Arts Emergency?
Mentoring will last for approximately one year from the point of introduction for each mentoring pair (this being an Arts Emergency mentor and the young person, aka 'mentee'). The pairs will meet once a month for around an hour in a public place or online, this will be wherever the young person feels comfortable, but meeting in-person can be an opportunity to explore cultural spaces that they may not have visited before such as a museum, gallery or theatre. There is lots more information about the mentoring experience here, and we're very happy to chat this through more.
We have a limited capacity of young people each year which we try to divide between different local authorities in your region, but we can usually take on between 5-10 young people per partner. We can sometimes accept more, and there is no pressure on the partner to find that many people for the programme if they don't naturally apply.
Mentees join the Arts Emergency Young Community and are provided access to professional networking and development opportunities until their 26th birthday.
Outlining our basic understanding of each-other:
We both acknowledge that we have different pressures, priorities and processes, and we will try to reduce the workload of each other wherever possible and above all else we will champion the best interests of our young people.
We will do all we can to keep our young people safe, respected and validated in their ideas and choices. Arts Emergency has robust safeguarding procedures, including performing enhanced DBS checks, screening calls and obtaining references for our mentors, but we acknowledge that you are likely to have more information regarding safeguarding and welfare needs. We will aim to act consistently with your guidelines, recognising your ongoing responsibility towards them beyond our programmes.
Okay, let's talk about what we're both committing to!
You will commit to...
Working with your team and your young people to identify appropriate and eligible young people (in line with our eligibility criteria) for the programme and referring them to our online application process
Supplying Arts Emergency (where possible) with any information that will help us create the best experience for your young people (e.g. particular support needs or concerns)
If relevant, hosting or assisting us with the organisation of informal interviews with your young people either in-person or online. These meetings help us to de-formalise the process and get to know the young people beyond their application which leads to a better mentor match.
Helping us to bring about an initial meeting of your young people with their mentors if this is necessary (e.g. if they are nervous or have extra support needs)
Ensuring that your young people are consistently reminded of our safeguarding rules (mainly meeting in a public space, never meeting at either of their homes, not exchanging address details or interacting on social media, only meeting with other adults as part of the mentoring experience in the presence of their mentor)
Following up with students if engagement and communication falters (Arts Emergency will prompt this action as part of our routine monitoring and evaluation)
Maintaining good lines of communication with Arts Emergency throughout the process. This will include assigning a designated contact and handing this contact over in the event of staff turnover
Ensuring that this agreement has been considered and signed off by the Senior Leadership Team / similar structure
Providing the name and contact details of your Designated Safeguarding Officer (DSO) and making them aware that your young people are involved in the programme, in case an issue arises
Not sharing any data provided by Arts Emergency without prior agreement
And Arts Emergency will commit to...
Processing all of your young people's applications and making you aware of who has applied and who is eligible to be taken forward for a mentor match
Informing parents, carers and/or guardians about the programme and providing them the opportunity to raise concerns around their child / ward participating. Please note that because all participants are over the age of 16, we do not require explicit permission in order for young people to participate in the programme
Training mentors in safeguarding and working with young people as well as processing and covering the cost of Enhanced DBS checks for these mentors. This will include conducting identity checks and processing mentor application forms. Arts Emergency will also conduct reference checks and screening calls for all mentors
Conducting phone, video call or face-to-face meetings with eligible student applicants to discuss their application further, and to better inform our match making process
Endeavouring to match each student with the most appropriate mentor for them, based on their ability to meet that student’s individual requirements, paying particular attention to the student’s interests, aptitudes and additional needs.
Informing you of all mentor matches made for your young people
Leading a mentoring introductory session, where new mentor pairs will be invited to meet for the first time in a group setting. This is to take place at a physical location, with an online option if necessary
Supporting mentor pairs and managing the programme appropriately - including regular communication with participants, and scheduled check-ins and evaluation.
Informing you promptly where safeguarding or general welfare concerns are raised during the course of the year, in accordance with our child protection and safeguarding policies
Where no contact is forthcoming from a young person in any one month period, Arts Emergency will notify you and request that you check in with the young person. Mentee places may be withdrawn if Arts Emergency/their mentor does not receive contact from them for over two months
Offering ongoing support to students who complete their year of mentoring. Alumni can receive career advice and development opportunities from Arts Emergency until their 26th birthday
Sharing evaluative feedback on request
Maintaining good contact with you on the delivery of the programme and protection of participants
Processing and storing school and student data securely in accordance with our Data Protection and Privacy policies, and not sharing this data without prior agreement except in specific ways required for carrying out our service, e.g. introducing students to their mentors
Sounds good? Fill out the form below to sign off this partner-ship 🛳️
(You will need to have accessed this page via a unique link providing by our team to fill out the form - email your contact or mentoring@arts-emergency.org for more info)
Agreement
Mentoring Partner Agreement