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Care leavers

No family contacts to call on? Borrow ours.

Most career advice quietly assumes someone at home already knows how it works. If you have been in care, that assumption fails you. A free 30-minute session with someone who does the job puts that missing conversation back within reach.

How we support you

Six things that make this different.

It costs nothing, ever

Sessions for care leavers are free. There is no plan to join, no card to enter, and nothing to pay back later. Employers and universities fund the mentoring you use.

You do not need a network

You do not need a family friend in the industry or a contact who can put in a word. You pick the topic, we find the mentor, and the introduction is made for you.

Thirty minutes, no long commitment

One focused session, booked when it suits you. Come back for another when you need it. Nothing rolls on in the background and nothing chases you.

No need to explain your background

Tell your mentor as much or as little as you want. They are there for the question you brought, not your history. Sharing that you are a care leaver is always your choice.

Practical answers, not sympathy

How to write the application, what the interview will actually ask, whether the apprenticeship is worth it, what the job is really like day to day.

Safeguarding built in

Sessions run on mentorhero and stay on the record. Under 18s need consent and are only matched with DBS-checked mentors. You can report a concern at any time.

Bring any of these

You do not need a polished question.

How it works

Four steps, start to finish.

  1. 01Tell us where you are stuck

    A sentence is enough. You choose the topic and the kind of person you want to hear from.

  2. 02We find the mentor

    Someone doing the work now, matched to your question rather than whoever happens to be free.

  3. 03Have your 30 minutes

    A short, focused conversation. You leave with something you can act on this week.

  4. 04Come back when you need to

    There is no limit on booking again later. Different question, different mentor, same free session.

For leaving care teams

Personal advisers, virtual schools and charities.

If you support care leavers, you can put young people forward and stay the named contact throughout. We handle the matching, the mentors and the safeguarding, so you keep your time for the relationship you already have.

Refer one young person or a whole cohort
A named adult stays the first point of contact
Under 18s need written consent and a DBS-checked mentor
We report back on sessions booked and attended

Common questions

Do I have to prove I was in care?

No. If you are referred by a leaving care team we will already know. If you come to us directly, just say so when you book and we will treat the session as free.

I am 17. Can I book?

Yes, with written consent from your parent, guardian or the adult responsible for you, and a sponsoring organisation. Your mentor will be DBS checked. See our age requirements page.

Will my mentor know my background?

Only what you choose to tell them. Mentors are briefed to focus on the question you bring, not your circumstances.

What if the session does not help?

Tell us and we will match you with someone else. There is no cost and no limit on trying again.

Is there a catch?

No. Employers, universities and organisations pay for mentoring capacity, which funds free sessions for people who need them most.

Not sure where to start? Send one line and we will take it from there.

Email us