'Mentoring scheme gave me new outlook on life'

A teenager says a mentoring scheme has given him a "different perspective and outlook" on life.

Liam, 18, who lives near Taunton, has been paired with mentee Sarah Awlford for the last two years as part of a scheme run by Promiseworks.

It comes as the charity, which provides support to vulnerable and disadvantaged young people, appeals for more volunteers and mentors to come forward in the west Somerset area.

Liam said: "Having a mentor gives you a different perspective on life. If I didn't have this then I would probably be lost on a lot of things."

"The interactions you have with your parents and the opinions they give you, they always have your best interests at heart but they're going to be very different from the ones you have from your friend," said Liam.

"Mentors are different and help you have a better outlook on everything," Liam added.

Mentors would need to undergo a four-day training course, meet up with mentees across two years and could help young people with a range of topics.

For mentor Awlford, she has "loved" seeing Liam "grow as an individual" and has learnt "just as much" from him.

"We hang out, we don't do things special and we just chat about stuff... We've both learnt a lot," she said.

Ali Hart, general manager at Promiseworks said there was a "bit of a mis-understanding with the word mentor" as people often think "they have to be an expert at something".

"That's not true. Mentoring is helping to see someone to see new possibilities and using your own life experience to guide when giving the gift of time to someone," she said.

"It's really rewarding," she added.

Rachel Gilmour, Lib Dem MP for Tiverton and Minehead said mentoring could "help a young persons life" and called for volunteers to come forward.

"At the moment they've got 216 graduates from the mentoring programme, but only eight mentors in West Somerset.

"You get training, it's not scary, you don't have to have any previous experience, all you need is real life experience and a kind warm heart," she added.

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