Mentor; Temporary

Position: Mentor (Temporary)
Location: New Forest

Mentor Required - Hythe Area

2 hours per week | Friday afternoons | Start ASAP

We are looking for an experienced, calm and relationship‑focused mentor to work with a neurodivergent young person in Year 10 who is currently out of school. Sessions will begin with 2 hours every Friday afternoon, with the potential to increase if appropriate.

The successful mentor will provide consistent, low‑pressure, trust‑building support with a strong emphasis on emotional safety and sensory‑aware practice. The proposed approach must prioritise connection before curriculum, using gentle engagement, predictable routines, and flexible, child‑led interaction.

About the Young Person

The young person has a diagnosis of autism alongside significant emotional and mental health needs, which make daily demands extremely challenging. Their anxiety levels remain very high, and on difficult days they may be unable to manage even small tasks.

Key needs include:

A calm, patient mentor who can work slowly and without pressure.
Relationship-based practice, allowing trust to develop gradually.
Consistency and predictability, as unexpected changes can cause distress or shutdown.
Support for communication challenges and difficulty forming relationships.
A sensory-aware approach, as busy or noisy environments can be overwhelming.
An understanding that disengagement or withdrawal is a coping strategy, not defiance.

The young person often copes by focusing on their own interests and retreating from unfamiliar or demanding situations. A gentle, validating approach is essential to help them feel safe enough to re-engage.

A copy of the EHCP is available for reference.

Who We're Looking For

Experience with autism, SEMH, EBSA, and re-engagement pathways.
Need experience of mentoring, and at least 6 months experience working in UK schools
Confident using a trauma‑informed, child‑led approach.
Skilled at building rapport with young people who are anxious or reluctant to engage.
Able to offer creative, flexible and personalised sessions at the young person's pace.

If this sounds like you and you are available on Friday afternoons, we would love to hear from you.

Prospero Teaching is acting as an employment business/education recruitment agency in relation to this vacancy. The successful candidate will be required to register with Prospero Teaching to fill this vacancy