Strong mentoring and coaching relationships are built on trust, clarity and consistent boundaries. SF Connects provides resources that help mentors and coaches open meaningful conversations, understand what matters to a young person and translate reflection into realistic goals.
You want to build trust without making sessions feel like an interview.
A young person has a broad ambition but no workable next step.
You need to clarify confidentiality, boundaries or the purpose of the relationship.
Progress has stalled and you want to reflect without blaming the young person.
A concern may sit outside your role and you need to recognise when to refer or escalate.
Reduce the pressure to perform a conversation. Use a shared activity, rating scale, card choice or short walk, and let silence do some work. Keep showing up consistently while following programme procedures if withdrawal or isolation raises a wellbeing or safeguarding concern.
Acknowledge the feeling, hold boundaries around harmful behaviour and postpone goal work until the young person is regulated. Later, help them identify triggers, strengths and alternative actions. Escalate risk rather than moving beyond the limits of mentoring or coaching.
Use prompts and activities to learn about strengths, interests, relationships and hopes. The tools provide structure without making the conversation feel scripted.
Help young people break ambitions into manageable steps, consider options and recognise progress. Reflective tools encourage ownership instead of prescribing answers.
Explore role clarity, confidentiality, safeguarding, endings and referral. Workshops help programmes create consistent expectations and recognise when wider professional support is needed.
Clarify the purpose of mentoring or coaching, how often you will meet, what confidentiality means and what happens if you are worried about safety.
Ask what matters to the young person, what is already helping and what they would like to be different. Let their priorities shape the goal.
Agree one specific step, who can help, what might get in the way and when you will review it. Record safeguarding concerns through your programme’s procedure.
SF Connects offers structured prompts that support natural conversation, goal setting and reflection while keeping role boundaries visible. Workshops and community learning help mentors and coaches stay connected rather than working in isolation.
Or contact SF Connects to discuss learning for a group, team or organisation.
