Mentoring

What is mentoring?

Veterans who complete the Sport Rehabilitation or Pain Managment programmes are paired with their own Mentor. This is someone outside your day-to-day life who's there to help you think through what comes next, at your pace and on your terms.

It's not therapy, and it's not case work. It's one person, giving you their time, on your side.

What a Mentor offers you

Your Mentor is there to listen first and advise second. Over time, that relationship gives you:

A sounding board — somewhere to think out loud, without judgement
A wider perspective on the choices in front of you, personal and professional
Practical help turning goals into a plan, and that plan into action
Honest, encouraging challenge — someone willing to ask the harder question, not just agree with you
A better route into civilian life, drawing on their own experience and contacts

Veterans who've been through it describe the biggest benefit simply as having someone who consistently turns up for them.

What we ask of you

Mentoring only works if it's a two-way relationship. That means:

Making time for it, and treating it as a priority alongside everything else
Being open — sharing what's really going on, not just what's easy to say
Staying in touch between meetings, not just when things go wrong
Driving it yourself — your Mentor is there to help you find your own answers, not hand you theirs

Common questions

How long does it last?

You'll commit to a minimum of a year. Many relationships run longer than that — some for several years — and some naturally wind down once a particular need has been met. It's worth checking in with yourself and your Mentor along the way about whether it's still working for you.

Is it confidential?

Yes. Your mentor also receives regular supervision from our Mentoring Lead — similar to the supervision a therapist would receive — which protects both you and your mentor and means that support is available for you or your mentor if needed.

How do I get started?

Once you're matched, you and your Mentor agree a regular rhythm together — typically a call every week or so, with a few face-to-face catch-ups across the year. Your Coordinator helps set this up and stays on hand if you need anything.

What happens in the first meeting?

Nothing formal. You'll talk through where you are, what's on your mind, and what you'd like to get out of the relationship — the first step in building the trust that makes the rest of it work.