Pillar 1 · Hope
Confidence and self-belief
Weekly themes around identity, strengths, self-doubt, voice and confidence.
View the Hope pathwayFor schools & institutions
Feeling seen can change how a young person experiences school.
A young person who feels listened to may find more room to take part, build trust and ask for help. That matters beyond one conversation: it can shape how they feel in a classroom, a friendship group and the wider school community. THE SIMS PROJECT aims to explore mentoring alongside, and in support of, the people and pastoral systems already there.
For headteachers, deputy heads, designated safeguarding leads (DSLs), pastoral leads, SENCOs, student-support teams, college leaders and youth-organisation managers considering additional support.
Consider what a steady, trusted relationship could add to the support already around a young person.
Why mentoring matters
One steady relationship can make room to be heard.
Time, attention and a familiar person may help a young person practise confidence, communication and resilience, and feel more connected to the people around them.
School staff hold many responsibilities, from learning and attendance to safeguarding and pastoral care. A proposed mentoring programme would not ask them to care less or do more alone. It could offer an additional, consistent point of support, shaped with the staff who understand the setting and its young people.
Four pillars · Possible pathways
Four ways to begin a conversation about support.
These programme outlines offer four distinct areas to explore with your setting. The right focus depends on the young people, the context and your pastoral priorities. Hope, Help, Healing and Together are proposed pathways, not confirmed or currently available services.
Pillar 2 · Help
12-week one-to-one mentoring
A structured individual pathway for relationship-building, understanding needs, agreed goals and progress conversations.
View the Help pathwayPillar 3 · Healing
Supported personal growth
A longer reflective pathway following difficult experiences. It is not therapy, clinical treatment or a replacement for specialist support.
View the Healing pathwayPillar 4 · Together
Friendship and teamwork
Group themes focused on empathy, communication, resolving differences and collaborative activity.
View the Together pathwayThese outlines are starting points for discussion, not a ready-made offer. Scope, eligibility, staffing, availability, consent and safeguards must be agreed with the institution before any delivery.
A flexible model under development
Begin with what your young people need.
The options below are ideas to discuss, not a confirmed or universal service. Staffing, scheduling, eligibility, pricing and availability would need to be agreed individually.
An agreed school presence
A mentor onsite on an agreed weekly day, with additional sessions only where demand and resources allow.
One-to-one or small-group sessions
Pre-arranged mentoring considered with the young person, relevant adults and the institution.
Workshops and conversations
Assemblies and workshops could open thoughtful conversations about confidence, bullying, resilience, belonging and positive relationships.
Pastoral collaboration
Work with designated pastoral and safeguarding staff to agree communication, responsibilities and boundaries.
Review together
If delivery is agreed, reviews and reporting would follow the institution’s safeguarding and information-sharing arrangements.
No contract, school partnership or operational schedule is being represented as already in place. Any next step starts with a conversation, not an assumption that a service is ready to begin.
What working together could look like
Careful conversations before any programme begins.
A good fit takes listening, clear responsibilities and agreed safeguarding foundations. These would all need to be in place before delivery.
- 01
Initial conversation
Share the school’s priorities and what kind of mentoring provision is being explored.
- 02
Needs assessment
Discuss the setting, pupil population, accessibility and the institution’s pastoral and safeguarding framework.
- 03
Agree scope and responsibilities
Define programme scope, timetable, roles, consent, communication and how concerns would be escalated.
- 04
Establish the foundations
Put appropriate vetting, safeguarding checks, induction, policies and documentation in place before delivery.
- 05
Deliver the agreed programme
Begin only the sessions and responsibilities that have been formally agreed.
- 06
Review and learn
Review delivery against objectives agreed with the institution, using appropriate reporting and data-sharing boundaries.
Safeguarding is central
Trust grows when safety and boundaries are clear.
Any programme involving young people must operate within a clear safeguarding framework. Before delivery, THE SIMS PROJECT and each institution would need to agree how concerns, referrals, information-sharing and communication will work within the institution’s procedures.
Appropriate practice
Selection and preparation for mentors, clear role boundaries, consent, privacy, secure record-keeping and supervision or review expectations must be established.
Shared responsibility
Designated safeguarding contacts, escalation pathways, referral arrangements and information-sharing responsibilities must be agreed with the institution.
Confidentiality cannot be absolute. Concerns about a young person’s safety or welfare, and disclosures required by law or professional duty, may need to be shared with the appropriate people.
This site does not claim that DBS checks, training, insurance, formal policies, accreditation or compliance arrangements are already in place. These are matters to establish and verify before any programme begins.
Building towards wider reach
Support belongs in the places young people gather.
THE SIMS PROJECT aims to support organisations serving young people aged 11 and above. These are the settings it hopes to reach, not existing contracts or partnerships.
Secondary schoolsAcademies & multi-academy trustsColleges & sixth formsAlternative provision settingsIndependent educational institutionsYouth centres & community organisationsOther youth-serving organisations
A first conversation
Start a school partnership conversation
Share a little about your setting and the support you are exploring. Programme details, arrangements and availability would be discussed individually.