Year-Long Support Journey: Building Sustainable Church-Based
Mentoring Programmes
Mentoring can play a transformative role in the lives of young people and individuals of all ages — offering safe, trusting relationships where faith can be explored, resilience strengthened, and hope restored. Rooted in the Gospel and modelled on Jesus’ relational approach, mentoring creates space for people to grow in confidence, make wise choices, and become positive contributors within their communities.
Nicodemus supports churches to help them design, launch, and sustain mentoring programmes within what they already do — whether youth work, community cafés or outreach to all ages. This year-long support journey equips church leaders to build mentoring that is intentional, ethical, relational, and sustainable.
What do mentees and church leaders say?
Mentee
“I’ve had less trouble in school. I used to get excluded and argue with teachers, but now I think before I speak. Before mentoring I was confused and didn’t see right from wrong. Now my behaviour has improved, I think about consequences, feel happier, and my mum is happier too.”
Anon (14 years old at a local school)
Church Leader
"Taking Nicodemus’ Mentoring course helped our youth leaders 'get there much quicker' as they build relationships with our young people. As relationships with young people get deeper, youth leaders are exposed to more that is happening in the young person's life."
Mikky Baker, Youth Pastor & Minister in Training, Legacy Church Walsall
What We Offer:
Your project
By the end of the year, you will have a clearly defined, well-structured mentoring programme, supported by trained mentors, appropriate systems, and practical resources — embedded within your church or community work.
People to run your programme
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A Programme Manager (from your church or organisation) to oversee the mentoring programme, supports mentors, work alongside the church’s safeguarding structures and to engage with Leaders, homegroup leaders or community contacts for introduction to potential mentees (e.g. Schools or others as identified using our Community Consultation guide).
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Up to five volunteer mentors - trained
Cost and what you will receive
£70 per month (x 12) — this year-long package includes:
1. Six bi-monthly one-hour online consultation sessions for the Programme Manager
These coaching-style sessions support the planning, development, and strengthening of your mentoring programme over the course of the year. Together, we reflect on progress, address challenges, and apply best practice to your local context.
2. Five online gifted Nicodemus Foundational Specialist Mentoring courses for volunteer mentors
A 12-hour online training course covering five core mentoring topics. Each course includes a
participant guide with exercises and self-reflection activities, helping mentors embed learning directly into their mentoring relationships and develop confidence in relational, faith-informed practice.
(Additional mentor training at £69 per volunteer.)
3. Two one-hour online mentor workshops for volunteer mentors (delivered within the year)
Interactive coaching workshops that combine short teaching inputs with facilitated discussion. Mentors learn alongside others from different churches, regions, and contexts, creating space for shared learning, reflection on real mentoring experiences, and peer encouragement.
4. Community Consultation Guide
A practical framework supporting churches to understand their community context, identify genuine needs, clarify mission and purpose, and design mentoring programmes accordingly. The guide includes tools and templates that support consultation, reflection, collaboration, and preparation for partnership or funding applications.
5. Seven practical mentoring resources for use within mentoring relationships
Ready-to-use tools that help mentors structure meaningful conversations with mentees. These resources support discussions around identity, emotions, change, goals, and wellbeing, enabling mentors to facilitate reflective, purposeful, and developmentally appropriate mentoring sessions.
See below for more details
Enquire About the Year-Long Consultation Journey
Please let us know how you would like to proceed:
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Request an introduction to Cinnamon for you to explore applying for a micro-grant for your mentoring programme and the Year-Long Support Journey
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Begin the Year-Long Support Journey to start our mentoring programme.
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Arrange a conversation to discuss questions and explore whether this journey is right for your church.
Six Bi-Monthly One-Hour Online Consultation Sessions for the Programme Manager
Session 1 – Foundations for Healthy Mentoring Programmes
Biblical and relational foundations: Belong → Believe → Become
Introduction to community analysis and participatory approaches
Strategic thinking for mentoring programme design
Session 2 – Clarifying Mission and Shaping Team Culture
Identifying community needs and defining purpose
Creating a clear mentoring mission statement
Developing a Christ-centred mentoring culture
Session 3 – Designing the Mentoring Model
Pathways from group activities to mentoring relationships
Natural and formal mentoring models
Matching principles and practical logistics
Session 4 – Building and Supporting the Team
Recruiting mentors with the right character and readiness
Screening and discernment tools
Supervision, wellbeing, and ongoing support
Session 5 – Measuring Impact and Growing Well
Defining desired outcomes and results
Monitoring progress and capturing impact
Learning, reflection, and programme improvement
Session 6 – Strengthening, Troubleshooting & Next Steps
Addressing challenges and refining practice
Planning for sustainability and growth
Reflection, prayer, and recommissioning
Learn about our Online Mentor Training
Why Mentoring
Why Mentoring
Meet The Trainers
Purpose of our mentoring course
Resourcing your mentors
2 Online Mentor workshops for mentors
Gain practical skills for building trust and supporting young people through safe, relational mentoring.
Learn core communication tools, reflective practice, and values‑based approaches shaped by Christian principles.
Designed to equip mentors with confidence, clarity, and real‑world techniques for impactful mentoring.
Resources for your mentors
- Ladder Goals. - Your Safe Place
- Managing Emotions - Dealing with Change
- Who am I? - Self-Care Tips for Teens
- Self-Consciousness
(additional resources at cost)
Community Consultation Guide
This Community Consultation Framework (43 pages) describes how you can undertake a Community Analysis, reviewing your communities' needs, your mission, your team and their giftings, means to collaborate with other community programmes, and your desired outcomes and results.
Containing template forms and practical tools, you will be facilitated to confidently ensure that you are providing a real service need to your community. Carrying out this exercise will also assist as part of funding you may wish to apply for.
