A LOCAL charity is appealing for more volunteers in Wyre Forest to join them in helping support children in your community.

Mentor Link, based in Stourport-on-Severn, is a charity dedicated to supporting young people in the West Midlands by providing them with a volunteer mentor.

The aim of the charity is to provide one-to-one support for children who may be in distress. The aim of mentoring is to generate a more positive outlook on life both personally and educationally with the well-being of these young people forming the focus of their work.

As a children’s charity, they are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all the children they support.

Volunteers could make a difference to a child facing difficulties in their life by spending an hour each week during school time listening and befriending a young person, offering your time and life skills for support and guidance and creating a more positive attitude towards themselves and learning.

Claire Quinn, volunteer recruiter and co-ordinator for the Wyre Forest, said: “January is a time of year when we might look to make a change in ourselves, what better way than to volunteer in your local community. Not only will you be helping a child or young person, but you’ll get a great deal from it too.

“Mentors provide the students with a neutral adult outside of family members or school staff and can offer great support in a safe, non-judgemental or authoritative environment. I am looking to recruit local people with something to offer the next generation and who will draw on their own experiences.

“This is my tenth year with Mentor Link and introducing a volunteer to a child or young person and seeing what happens next is incredibly rewarding and potentially life-changing for them. Go on, get in touch, imagine the difference you could make!”

If you would be interested in becoming a volunteer for Mentor Link in the Wyre Forest, you can contact Claire by email Claire.quinn@mentorlink.org.uk or phone 01299 822336, for more information.