NVSC

In November 2004 it was restructured as Wheat Mentor Support Trust to include UK-based mentoring and befriending programmes for refugee and migrant communities in the United Kingdom. It was set up to provide assistance to vulnerable individuals (children and adults) to manage their lives by developing their skills and self confidence through one-to-one befriending/mentoring support. WHEAT MST also assists other agencies who support vulnerable people to set up their own befriending/mentoring schemes by providing consultancy and training services. A group of in-house trained mentors had the foresight to identify an area which had not been covered, the mentoring of refugee and migrant children to help them integrate with others through art, dance, sports and other activities.

The aim of this project was to support refugee and migrant children by improving their physical & mental wellbeing, social skills and their successful integration into the community and become good citizens.

Over 60 migrant and refugee children aged 3-15 years are involved in the following activities:

WHEAT MST Projects

One-to-One Mentoring & Befriending Support: to enhance their self-confidence and self-esteem.

Music and Dance: to enable children release their suppressed needs and to identify their talents through music & dance.

Art and Craft:  Through the use of colour, pattern and shape, the children explore different cultures thus giving them a sense of belonging within the wider world.

Sport: to promote a healthier lifestyle by incorporating physical exercise and discipline through Basketball, Netball, Football and Table Tennis coaching.

Gardening, Food Preparation and Farm Visits - to create awareness on healthy eating and the environment.

WHEAT MST’s Members, Trustees, Volunteers and Staff

All the trustees are trained mentors and mentees who have made huge differences in the lives of vulnerable adults. They have diverse professional background ranging from lecturers and trainers to youth workers and administrators. Their ethnic composition is as diverse as the service users. Gender and religious mix is 50% females and 33.3% Muslim. However, they all have some common characteristics - mentoring experience, compassion, commitment, flexibility and multicultural orientation. Over 7 volunteers work along with the Programme Administrator and 3 professional Activity Leaders on a sessional basis. Volunteer mentors are recruited from the children’s parents/guardians. WHEAT MST has well over 100 strong members drawn from former RAMP Mentoring Service mentors and mentees. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in making a difference in the lives of refugees and migrants.

WHEAT MST’s Partners, Funders and Sponsors

WHEAT Mentor Support Trust works closely with the University of East London, University of Greenwich, Newham College of Further Education, Newham Volunteer Centre and Waltham Forest Volunteer Centre. WHEAT MST has gained a lot of support from the following funders and sponsors in financial, expertise and material forms: the Local Network Fund, Church Urban Fund, Go For It Grants, Aston Mansfield, the Cabinet Office, RAMP, DLR and ASDA. WHEAT MST would like to thank them all for the generous support they provided during the last two years and hope that they along with other funders and sponsors will continue to support its noble cause.