Volunteer Mentor West Midlands - Volunteer

Can you commit half a day each week or fortnight to mentor a young person in prison during the final six months of their sentence, helping them prepare for release and then supporting their reintegration in the community to create positive change and reduce reoffending?

What difference will you make?

Volunteer mentors are at the heart of Trailblazers’ work. Your involvement enables us to deliver consistent, relationship-based mentoring to people at one of the most challenging and high-risk points in their lives – the transition from prison back into the community.

By giving your time, you help Trailblazers maintain and grow a service that is proven to reduce re-offending and support long-term change. Each mentoring relationship strengthens our ability to work effectively within prisons and communities, ensuring individuals are not released without meaningful support in place.

Your contribution directly supports our organisational mission to reduce re-offending and improve outcomes for people leaving prison. With the backing of committed volunteers, we can offer tailored, one-to-one mentoring that complements statutory services and fills critical gaps in support. helps us build trust with prisons, partners and communities, and ensures our programmes remain responsive, person-centred and impactful.

The results of this approach are clear. Nationally, around 30% of people leaving prison reoffend within a year. For those supported by a Trailblazers mentor, that figure drops to just 7%. Your role helps us continue delivering these outcomes and demonstrates the value of mentoring to funders, stakeholders and partners.

Beyond individual mentoring relationships, your involvement strengthens Trailblazers as an organisation. Volunteers bring lived experience, skills and perspectives that enrich our practice, inform service development and help us better reflect the communities we serve. Your commitment allows us to reach more people, deepen the quality of our work and contribute to safer, more resilient communities.

By volunteering with Trailblazers, you help turn our evidence-based approach into real-world impact – supporting individuals to move forward with confidence and helping our organisation deliver lasting social change.

We are looking for volunteers who are committed, reliable, and able to build positive, supportive relationships with people at a pivotal moment in their lives. As a Trailblazers mentor, your ability to connect, listen, and encourage is more important than prior experience – although certain skills and qualities will help you succeed in this role.

• Non-judgemental and empathetic, focusing on the person rather than their offense.
• Professional yet relatable, able to communicate clearly and build trust with your mentee.
• Resilient and patient, understanding that change takes time and setbacks are part of the journey.
• Supportive and proactive, able to advocate for your mentee and work with Trailblazers staff to access opportunities that support their resettlement.
• Reflective and open to guidance, willing to follow training, supervision, and advice to provide safe and effective mentoring.

While previous knowledge of the criminal justice system is helpful, full training is provided, so you don’t need prior experience. Basic IT skills are required to record mentoring activities and communicate with Trailblazers staff. Awareness of adversity and how to overcome barriers is valuable, helping you support your mentee to build a strong, supportive network around them.

• Lived experience of the criminal justice system, provided you have been off licence for at least 12 months and are not currently in crisis.
• Professional experience or skills relevant to our mentoring focus, including wellbeing, creative arts, business, employability or other transferable skills.
• Diversity of perspective, including individuals from underrepresented communities.

• Be over 21 and have at least three years’ professional experience relevant to our work.
• Be a British citizen to meet security clearance…