Information pack

www.southglos.gov.uk

What is Breakthrough?
Breakthrough is an activity based mentoring
scheme that uses skilled mentors to offer
weekly, one-to-one support to a range of
vulnerable people who have been identified
by an agency as being in need of support. Our
Mission Statement and values are shown below.
The project uses activities to help our mentees to
build positive relationships with adults and peers
as well as interests and skills that can be sustained
in the longer term. In some placements, short and
long term targets are set and closely monitored for
each placement and these are linked into reward
events/activities.
Mission Statement:
Breakthrough creates positive experiences and
relationships to affect vulnerable people in order to
help them achieve, grow, develop skills and realize
their full potential.
Values:
1) Making a difference
2) High quality mentoring
3) Person centered outcomes
4) Innovation
5) Belief in Breakthrough
6) Team work & team relationships

Rewards:
How are placements set-up?
1. Referral - a professional officer from a referring
agency refers the person in question onto the
project.
2. Set-up meeting - a meeting is held with the
Breakthrough Co-ordinator, the referring agency,
supported person and if possible their parent/
guardian/carer. At this meeting the needs and
aims of all parties are discussed as well as targets
and potential activities. Logistical issues such
as transport and timings are also discussed. In
particular, Breakthrough’s code of confidentiality is
explained to all those at the meeting.
3. Matching mentor to mentee - the
Breakthrough Co-ordinator then identifies the most
appropriate mentor to work with the person in
question.
4. The placement starts!
Activities:
Activities can be anything that is safe and within
budget and can include sporting activities, arts and
crafts, voluntary work or helping your mentee apply
for a job. Breakthrough mentors are encouraged to
involve their mentee in the choice of activity.
In some placements, the Breakthrough coordinator,
the referring professional and the mentee
agree certain targets for the mentee to achieve. If
the mentee achieves these targets then the mentor
may arrange a reward event. It is important that
this event should be different and exciting but also
something that adds value in some way.
Exit strategy:
Before a placement finishes a meeting will take
place between the co-ordinator and the mentor
to discuss a suitable exit strategy for the mentee.
A key part of Breakthrough is building long term
friendships and interests for the mentee we are
supporting. Getting the mentee to join some sort
of community group to pursue an interest is always
desirable, as is building positive friendship groups.
Proving our outcomes:
We use a variety of methods to prove our
outcomes, including the Department of Health’s
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire which
evaluates the mentee’s emotional and behavioural
development. Apart from this “hard” evidence, we
also encourage our mentors to keep a record of
“breakthroughs” big or small, such as learning to
ride a bike, leaving the house alone, joining a gym
and getting a place at college (“soft” outcomes).

Training and Support:
The Breakthrough team always aims to
provide as much support to our mentors as
possible. This includes information sharing,
an initial training programme followed by
further training modules if/when necessary,
availability for discussion and access to any
resources required.
We also operate a lone working policy that mentors
should adhere to.
Established mentors have constant support from
the following:
❚ Peer support group (with 3 planned team
meetings per year)
❚ Their Breakthrough Co-ordinator
❚ The Breakthrough Training and Development
Officer (a mentor for the mentors!)
❚ Other members of the Breakthrough
management team.
❚ 24 hour emergency support
Contacts:
If an issue arises or you need to clarify anything and
cannot get hold of your co-ordinator please call any
of the below:
Jonathan Wheeler
(Co-ordinator)
Mob: 07921492875
Email: Jonathan.wheeler@southglos.gov.uk
Jay Lee
(Co-ordinator)
Mob: 07795353825
Email: Jay.lee@southglos.gov.uk
Steve Spiers
(Manager)
Mob: 07711495867
Email: Steve.spiers@southglos.gov.uk
Annette Cook
(Training and Development Officer)
Mob: 07740961595
Email: Annette.cook@southglos.gov.uk

Breakthrough will:
❚ Have a well-communicated Mission Statement
and values
❚ Recruit, train and develop mentors
❚ Have clear support structures for mentors
❚ Have a child/person centred approach
❚ Provide guidelines and boundaries for mentors
and mentees
❚ Match mentor to mentee (one-to-one)
❚ Agree targets (if appropriate) with mentee
❚ Agree an exit strategy with mentees (when
necessary)
❚ Have good relationships with other agencies
❚ Demonstrate impact
Breakthrough mentors will:
High Quality Mentoring
Breakthrough aims to deliver a high quality mentoring programme with a
team of high quality mentors.
❚ Put their mentee first, at all times
❚ Give direction - guide and advise
❚ Promote change
❚ Be a positive role model
❚ Be willing to listen
❚ Give their mentee a chance to talk
❚ Be willing to share the benefits of their
experience
❚ Provide positive reinforcement of their mentee as
an individual
❚ Give constructive feedback - direct but sensitive
❚ Observe boundaries - verbal and non-verbal
❚ Provide the mentee with appropriate tools/
techniques to develop and grow
❚ Provide a safe environment
❚ Go the extra mile!
Breakthrough mentors will be:
❚ Reliable
❚ A good communicator
❚ Empathetic
❚ Caring
❚ Trust wor thy
❚ Open and honest
❚ Professional
❚ Flexible
❚ Innovative/Creative
❚ Well organised – short term and long term
❚ Patient
❚ Approachable
❚ Resilient

Breakthrough aims to deliver a high quality mentoring programme with a
team of high quality mentors.
Breakthrough mentors will know:
❚ Breakthrough policies
❚ Some background information on physical and
emotional well being
❚ Why they are working with this particular mentee
❚ The history - including the referring body (eg
school, CAMHS)
❚ The overall objective
❚ Agreed goals/targets (if appropriate)
❚ The family situation
❚ The mentee
❚ personal profile
❚ needs
❚ strengths
❚ weaknesses
❚ trigger points
❚ current personal situation
And Finally
❚ Their limits!
IN SHORT, Breakthrough believes
that high quality mentoring is
about...
❚ Being there
❚ Being Open and Honest
❚ Listening
❚ Guiding and Advising
❚ Caring
❚ Being child/person centred

Code of Practice
The purpose of this code of practice is to ensure that the relationship
between the mentee and mentor is as positive and successful as possible and
that each partner is clear about their roles.
Mentors should understand that when mentoring, they represent the Breakthrough
project and must therefore seek to act responsibly at all times.
1 Mentors should not aim just to socialise with their mentee. It must be a relationship that adds value to the
mentee’s life.
2 Mentors should not assume that their mentee likes them, will listen to them or will be honest with them.
3 Mentors should not make promises to their mentee that they cannot keep.
4 Mentors should complete the appropriate forms and reports as asked for by the coordinator.
5 Mentors should treat other people’s time with respect, by being punctual at all times.
6 Mentors should not buy expensive gifts for, or give money to, their mentee. Any small gifts should be
discussed first with the Breakthrough staff.
7 Mentors should not accept money from their mentee. Any other gifts or presents received by a mentor
must be discussed with the Breakthrough staff.
8 Mentors must not be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance whilst with their mentee.
9 Mentors should not encourage or allow a young person to use alcohol or any illegal substance.
10 If a mentee turns up to a session under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance then the mentor
should inform the mentee that the session will not take place and explain why. They should then ensure
that their mentee is left in a safe place and inform the coordinator as soon as possible.
11 Mentors should never invite a mentee to their home, without prior agreement with Breakthrough staff.
12 Mentors must never enter into a physical/intimate relationship with any mentee they work with.

Confidentiality &
Managing Information
Code of Confidentiality
Within the mentoring relationship, it is important that the mentee knows that many
things they tell are, and will remain, confidential. However, they also have to be aware
that should they disclose anything which is illegal, or has the potential to cause harm
to themselves or others, the mentor has a duty to pass it on to an appropriate person.
❚ At the start of the placement (usually as part of the set-up meeting) the Breakthrough co-ordinator will
explain the code of confidentiality to the mentee.
❚ If there is a need to breach confidentiality (as explained above), Breakthrough or a relevant agency will
then explain to the mentee, prior to it happening, why this information needs to be shared and who will
be told. Where this is not possible (in an emergency) the mentee will be told of the breach at the earliest
opportunity.
❚ Any information passed to a mentor may be shared with the Breakthrough co-ordinator if the mentor
deems necessary. However, this information will not be shared with a third party outside the project
without permission from the source unless there is a risk of significant harm to an individual.
❚ Each mentee will be made aware that information is compiled on them and then shared with a mentor.
Mentees have the right to see any written information about them, in the presence of their mentor or the
co-ordinator.
❚ Mentors should not discuss personal details about any mentee with anyone outside the Breakthrough
project.
❚ Mentors should be clear about what information they wish to share with a mentee and should not be
pressured to move from this.
❚ Where mentors record information, they should not record the mentee’s full name. First names or initials
would be appropriate.

Health & Safety Guidelines
Physical contact:
Personal Safety:
❚ Follow the Breakthrough Lone Working policy at
all times.
❚ Ensure you have a fully charged mobile with you
during your sessions.
❚ Do not give the young person your home
telephone number and use the prefix 141 when
calling from home.
❚ When choosing a venue for your meeting,
wherever possible choose a public place where
other adults are on hand.
❚ When transporting your mentee in your car:
❚ You must be insured for business use. Please
check with your insurance company
❚ Your car must be roadworthy
❚ All mentees must wear a seat belt
❚ Do not accept/put up with any kind of violence/
harassment from your mentee. If such incidents
occur or you feel they are likely to occur, please
contact your co-ordinator who will support you
in dealing with this.
❚ Any accidents or incidents should be recorded
immediately on an incident form and sent to
your co-ordinator.
Guidelines around physical contact are
very important because of the danger of
misinterpretation and unwelcome contact
to the young person. Physical punishment is
obviously outlawed as is sexual contact. This
includes sexual remarks and innuendo. It is
also not advisable to use bad language.
When considering the issues of physical contact
bear in mind these points:
❚ Is the contact appropriate for the age of the
young person?
❚ Is it consistent with what a good parent/carer
would do?
❚ How will the young person perceive the contact?
❚ Are the young person’s needs and wishes being
considered first and foremost in the contact?
(Taken from Good Care Matters: Department of Health, Crown Copyright 1996)
Please Note:
If you are in any doubt about whether a session
is suitable for your mentee, then it probably
isn’t! Here are some sessions to be wary of:
1) Anything using toxic substances
2) Anything using knives
3) Anything using boiling water
4) Anything in extreme weather conditions
5) Anything you don’t feel qualified to oversee
6) Anything in a venue you don’t feel confident in
7) Anything that brings you into direct contact with
electricity
8) Any session when you are unsure about the state
of the mentee’s mind
If you are in doubt don’t do it, even if you have
arrived at the venue and your mentee is excited. If
you want a second opinion, ask your co-ordinator.

Lone Working Policy
1. Each mentor will supply Breakthrough with the
name and contact number of a designated
buddy, and will supply their buddy with the
Breakthrough team’s contact numbers, particularly
identifying their Breakthrough Co-ordinator.
The mentor will inform their buddy of the details of
their session, ie mentee’s name, start and end time
of session, location.
2. The Breakthrough team will have access to each
mentor’s contact details, their buddy’s contact
details and their mentees’ contact details.
3. For each session:
On completion of the session, the mentor will
contact their buddy and inform them that they
have finished the session.
IF the buddy does not hear from the mentor at the designated time the following procedure should
be followed:
Buddy to contact the mentor Everything is OK NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED
No reply
Contact Breakthrough Co-ordinator (or a member of the Breakthrough team)
The Breakthrough Co-ordinator will try to
contact the mentor
Everything is OK
NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED
No reply
Contact the mentee (or their family)
The Breakthrough Co-ordinator will try to
contact the mentee
Everything is OK
NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED
Still concerns over the mentor’s safety or wellbeing
Breakthrough will contact the appropriate authorities
and inform the buddy of what is happening