Young people walking together in Cape Town

Become a Drop-in Mentor

One conversation, one pair, one afternoon

SAYes drop-in mentors are experts, public figures and otherwise accomplished individuals who volunteer to provide guidance and inspiration in a one-off, one-to-one discussion session with a mentor–mentee pair interested in a particular area.

What does a drop-in mentor do?

A drop-in session is a single conversation, usually one to two hours, arranged around your availability. A mentor and mentee who share an interest in your field come prepared with questions. You talk about what your work actually involves, the path you took, what you would do differently and what a young person can do this year to move towards it.

What kind of expertise is useful?

What is asked of you

A willingness to speak frankly and kindly with a young person, one session at a time. SAYes staff brief you beforehand, host or arrange a safe meeting place, and stay in contact throughout. No preparation of materials is needed.

Volunteer as a drop-in mentor

This page was recreated because the archived version of /drop-in/ was not available in the Wayback Machine snapshot; the content is based on the description of drop-in mentoring published on the archived “How You Can Help” page.

About SAYes

SAYes was founded in 2008 to provide much-needed support for children and young people in South Africa. We provide youth leaving children’s homes at the age of 18 with guidance that enables them to develop their skills, further their education and source suitable housing, so they can participate in society as independent, responsible adults.

Learn more

Support Us With A Donation

It costs SAYes R10,000 for one mentor–mentee match for one year. This includes recruitment, screening, training, monthly workshops, support from our social worker and graduation of mentors and mentees.

Make a donation to change a life

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