I want to be a mentor
Every refugee has their own individual story. They all have dreams, ambitions and unique personal experiences. It is our goal to help them unleash their potential. Through our mentorship programme for private individuals and companies you can support us to achieve this goal.
Private mentoring
Are you interested in a just participation in society, would you like to get involved and support a refugee individually? As a mentor you can accompany people who have recently arrived in Switzerland personally. Support refugees with their questions about life in Switzerland, with the challenges they face in school or when looking for an internship or apprenticeship and help them learn the German language.
Company mentorship programme
Would you like to give your employees an opportunity to become mentors and to engage meaningfully with our society? Then ask us about our concept for a company mentorship programme.
Why is the mentorship programme necessary?
Refugees are among the most disadvantaged and vulnerable people in society and consequently they need support. The type of support that each person requires varies from person to person: each refugee’s circumstances depend on a multitude of factors and vary according to where they live, their residence permit and age. Through our mentorship programme in a 1:1 setting refugees meet people they can talk to and that they can trust who accompany them through their daily challenges. Through the interaction within the mentorship, refugees know more about their opportunities, form a stable network of relationships and improve their self-confidence which eventually unleashes their personal potential.
What does the mentorship programme include?
Matching
Refugee and mentor are brought together through a matching procedure. In a first step we collect relevant information for the matching procedure. With this information we can adjust to your individual demands and find a reasonable match. All mentees are young refugees, usually between 14 and 30 years old, who participate regularly in our school or sports courses.
One-on-one meetings
The most important thing in a mentorship are the personal 1-on-1 meetings. The minimum duration of a mentorship is one year and mentor and mentee should ideally meet up in person six times in this time.
Financial support
A private mentorship includes an annual financial contribution of CHF 500. CHF 300 is used for the individual needs of the mentee whilst we use CHF 200 to cover our administrative expenses.
The company mentorships also cost CHF 500 per mentee and again CHF 300 is used for the needs of the mentee. The rest is an annual cooperation contribution which includes a range of services from SPORTEGRATION which in turn depend on the size of the contribution (ask about our mentorship concept for companies via our email).
Support
We accompany you as a mentor as well as your mentee throughout the duration of the mentorship. As a mentor you can always turn to us should you have any questions or require help. The same applies to the mentee. We regularly check up on how the mentorship is going and are glad to receive feedback.
It’s great to have Fabienne and Patrick as mentors. They always help me when I don’t understand something and we have lots of fun together.Rohulla, mentee and SPORTEGRATION participant, from Afghanistan
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I get up to with my mentee?
There are many possibilities: you can cook together, go for a walk, visit a SPORTEGRATION training together or just meet up for a coffee. What matters most is that you both have fun and that you have the opportunity to get to know and talk to each other.
How does the matching work?
For our decision-making in the matching procedure, the (i) living conditions and interests of the mentor, the (ii) living conditions and interests of the mentee and the (iii) needs of the mentee are most relevant.
How is the first contact established?
After the matching we hand you the mentee’s contact details and your mentee receives yours. As the mentor it is usually your responsibility to get in touch with the mentee.
Can two people start a mentorship together as a couple or as friends?
Sure. It’s possible to have two people start a mentorship without raising the annual financial contribution.
Can I choose whether I’d like a woman or a man as a mentee?
Yes, of course we will take this into consideration.
How long is the mentorship programme?
A mentorship takes at least one year. Exceeding that, the mentorship takes as long as you and your mentee would like. If it no longer works due to time or financial constraints, get in touch with us.
What is the financial contribution for the mentee used for?
The money is often used to enable the mentee to access a school course or a recreational activity. As a result we use the money to pay course fees or public transport fares. It could also be invested in school supplies, a bicycle or (sports) clothes for example.