Social impact organisation Goal 17 has launched a rare recruitment drive for volunteer mentors across Leicester, following two years of remarkable local success. Partnering with Leicester City Council, the scheme matches newly trained local volunteers with care leavers who are taking their first steps into independent living.
Why Care Leavers Need Support
Leaving care can often mean facing adulthood without the traditional safety net of family support. Life is often difficult for care leavers, having spent their childhood in care and often being moved to a new home every few years, before being discharged at 18 with little support or guidance. As such, care leavers are one of the most consistently disengaged groups in the country - far more likely to spend time homeless or in prison than those without care experience.
How the Mentoring Scheme Works
Goal 17’s scheme gives young adults a dedicated sounding board - someone to help them navigate everything from finding a career path and managing budgets to simply building self-belief during a crucial transition. No prior mentoring experience is needed, as every volunteer receives full training and ongoing support. With just 120 minutes a month required to make a lasting difference, the organisation is urging compassionate Leicester residents from all walks of life to step forward before the short recruitment window closes.
Impact of Consistent Mentoring
Goal 17’s extensive data shows that having a single, consistent person in their corner can have a life-changing positive impact - and this is where volunteers come in. Full, industry-leading training is provided and the time commitment is designed to be manageable alongside existing work and family lives - a couple of hours a month is often all it takes to change a life. Mentors offer consistent, one-to-one support to help their mentee build confidence, set goals, and navigate the transition to independence.
Call to Action
If you or someone you know has a desire to help and a couple of hours a month to give, this is the perfect opportunity. Goal 17 CEO and founder Francesca Salussolia said: "Every one of our care leavers deserves someone in their corner - not a service, not a system, just a person who shows up. In Leicester we've seen what that can do: young people who felt unreachable building real, trusting relationships with a volunteer who simply kept turning up. It takes as little as two hours a month, but the impact lasts a lifetime. If you've ever wanted to make a genuine difference to someone's life, this is it."
If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering, please visit the Goal 17 website to learn more and sign up.
