Newsletter

Catch up on this month's activity on the Scottish Mentoring Network website. Click the headlines to read more...

Latest News

	NEWS: Scottish Government Strengthening Scottish Charity Law Survey 22 December
	SMN: Season's Greetings from all the team at Scottish Mentoring Network Scottish Mentoring Network would like to thank all our members, partners and stakeholders for a tremendous year of exceptionally hard work! We have seen some very tricky challenges and some fantastic triumphs this year, and we could not have worked through them without the support from all of you!  The SMN team will be working until 5pm on the 23rd of December and will return to work on the 5th of January.   We hope that all our members and friends have a very restful time over the festive period and a very happy New Year.     17 December
	MEMBER NEWS: TimeBank's Shoulder to Shoulder Programme has had an independent evaluation We are delighted to share Time Bank's independent evaluation of their Shoulder to Shoulder Online pilot mentoring programme.  The Lines Between, an independent consultancy service conducted the evaluation into the mentoring programme which provides mentoring for ex service men and women.   TimeBank has delivered face-to-face mentoring for ex-Servicemen, women and families in Scotland for more than six years – supporting those who are struggling to adjust to civilian life and reducing their social and economic isolation.The charity wanted to test the effectiveness of online mentoring and thanks to funding from Forces in Mind Trust, was able to develop and evaluate an 18-month pilot. The project began before the Covid-19 pandemic but was able to continue throughout the period.    The evaluation found that online mentoring helped veterans establish stability and routine and achieve positive change with 80% of participants reporting an improvement in their emotional wellbeing. Mentoring sessions were found to be vital in reducing isolation during lockdown, when much face-to-face support was unavailable. Participants agreed that online mentoring should continue beyond the pandemic, especially for those who have poor mobility, find it difficult to leave their homes or live in remote areas. Volunteer mentors on the project reported a sense of satisfaction and increased confidence and said they had gained valuable skills and knowledge. The evaluation also noted widespread support for rolling out online mentoring, with its potential to increase engagement and make veteran support services more accessible and inclusive. Referral partners welcomed the additional support they could signpost veterans to. The evaluation also tested the viability of the online platform developed by video technology company Odro, which allowed beneficiaries to talk to their mentors in real time as well as exchanging messages. It found it was an effective platform which both mentors and mentees felt comfortable and confident using. 14 December
	MEMBER NEWS: Breakthrough Dundee Announces Closure We have been saddened to hear the news that Breakthrough Dundee has announced its closure.  Breakthrough Dundee provided group work and 1:1 mentoring in schools to disadvantaged young people, and have provided excellent services to their mentors and mentees.   The team at Breakthrough Dundee have been active participants in Scottish Mentoring Network's networking activities, and hosted one of our events in July 2019.   They provided support to school pupils in Dundee and Arbroath, and will be sadly missed members of the network.   The full statement from Breakthrough Dundee is available at the link below.   14 December

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