FAQs: Mentoring & Resilience
We understand you might have questions about how the Young Men's Resilience Programme can support teenage boys aged 15-18. Here, you'll find comprehensive answers to common inquiries from parents, schools, and colleges, designed to help you understand our approach and what we offer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my son may benefit from mentoring?
Every young man’s path is unique, but certain "red flags" often suggest a teenager is struggling to navigate the transition into adulthood. Common signs include social withdrawal, heightened anxiety regarding school, a lack of confidence, or sudden outbursts of anger and frustration. Often, this manifests as low self-esteem or a feeling of being "lost." My mentoring courses in London provide a steady, external role model to help boys aged 15-18 process these feelings and regain their sense of purpose.
What if my son is resistant to getting help?
This is perhaps the most important question parents ask. Many teenage boys feel that "help" implies they are broken or being lectured. I flip this narrative. I don’t approach them as a therapist, but as a mentor who has navigated high-pressure professional environments. By focusing on rapport first, I show them that this is about gaining an "edge" - building social confidence and mental toughness - rather than fixing a problem.
Will my son be forced to talk?
No. Trust is built gradually, not demanded. I create a safe, respectful group environment where young men feel comfortable opening up at their own pace. We often start with practical goals - like Digital Discipline or fitness - before moving into deeper reflections. My background as a yoga teacher helps me understand how to hold a space where a young man feels heard, not interrogated.
Is everything confidential?
Privacy is the foundation of our work. For a young man to be honest, he needs to know his words are respected. However, safeguarding is absolute. While sessions are private within the group, I am clear from the outset that if there are concerns relating to immediate safety or harm, I have a professional duty to involve parents or appropriate parties. We discuss these boundaries openly so everyone feels secure.
What happens in a typical session?
Each group session is a blend of conversation and practical action. We focus on emotional regulation tools, mindfulness or breathing practices, and resilience exercises. As we rotate and expand our range of topics, we might tackle "Exam Resilience" one week and "Social Confidence" the next. Every session ends with clear, practical action steps so the young man leaves feeling capable and in control of his week.
Are sessions online or in-person?
I offer online group mentoring sessions for young men across the UK, designed to build confidence, resilience, focus, and emotional wellbeing in a supportive and engaging environment.
In-person mentoring and resilience workshops are also delivered in schools and colleges across West and North-West London, helping students develop practical life skills, emotional resilience, communication, and self-confidence.
How long does the programme last?
The Young Men’s Resilience online programme is ongoing, allowing young men aged 15–18 to join at any stage throughout the year.
Online group mentoring sessions take place every Tuesday from 7:00pm–8:00pm (unless otherwise advised) and cover a wide range of topics relating to resilience, confidence, emotional wellbeing, focus, communication, mindset, discipline, and personal development.
Topics and workshop themes are continuously rotated, updated, and expanded to remain relevant, engaging, and responsive to the real challenges young men face today.
For schools and colleges across West and North-West London, all workshops, mentoring programmes, and wellbeing events are fully bespoke. Support can be tailored to your students’ specific needs and delivered as:
* One-hour workshops
* Half-day or full-day events
* Short-term intervention programmes
* Term-long courses
* Year-long resilience and mentoring programmes
Each programme is designed collaboratively to support student wellbeing, confidence, resilience, personal development, and engagement.
How do we get started?
Getting started is simple, supportive, and low-pressure.
Parents can enrol their son into the Young Men’s Resilience online programme through the Parents Page on youngmensresiliencelondon.co.uk.
Once you have registered, you will receive a short follow-up email asking for some background information about your son, including:
- What challenges he may currently be facing
- What support you feel he needs most
- What goals or outcomes you hope the programme will help with
This helps us understand each young man individually and ensures the support is tailored from the very beginning.
As soon as enrolment is complete, your son can join the next available online resilience workshop, held every Tuesday evening from 7:00pm–8:00pm, and continue attending ongoing weekly sessions from there.
If you are a school, college, or educator, you can contact us directly to discuss workshops, programmes, or bespoke support. We can be reached via WhatsApp, email, SMS, or by booking a call through this website.
What qualifications and experience do you have?
I have 4 years experience working as a mentor for teenage boys and young men within school environments, namely at Newman Catholic College, London NW10.
Whilst I initially began working at Newman Catholic College on behalf of The Promise Foundation, with whom I continue to work, the college also directly employed me to deliver additional workshops for groups of teenage boys and young men, with group sizes of up to 25 students. During this time, I supported students with confidence, behaviour, emotional wellbeing, resilience, and personal development.
Alongside my mentoring experience, I am a published author on resilience and wellbeing, a certified yoga teacher, and a qualified life coach specialising in transformation, mindset, and emotional awareness. My background in yoga, coaching, and personal development gives me lived, practical experience of the tools, principles, and practices I share, rather than purely theoretical knowledge.
My approach is also shaped by lived experience beyond my professional work. I have raised two children, travelled extensively, and lived overseas, which has given me a broader understanding of people, challenge, and personal growth in different environments.
In addition, I bring over 25 years of experience in high-level sales and business, which has strengthened my communication skills, resilience under pressure, and practical, real-world approach to confidence, discipline, and decision-making.
This combination of professional mentoring, coaching expertise, and life experience allows me to connect with young men in a grounded, relatable way while supporting their emotional development, resilience, and long-term personal growth.
How do you build resilience in teenage boys?
Resilience is the ability to navigate pressure without losing one’s composure. We build this through four pillars: Digital Discipline, Exam Resilience, Social Confidence, and Life Skills. By teaching young men in London how to regulate their nervous systems and set boundaries with technology, we give them the "inner compass" needed to navigate modern challenges.
Do you work with schools and colleges?
Yes. Alongside my ongoing work with The Promise Foundation and Newman Catholic College, I am continuing to expand mentoring, resilience, and emotional wellbeing programmes for schools and colleges across West and North-West London.
I offer flexible support for schools and educational settings, including:
* Morning assemblies
* In-school mentoring sessions
* Small group workshops
* After-school programmes
* Holiday workshops and wellbeing sessions
Sessions are designed for Year 10, Year 11, and Sixth Form students, helping young men develop confidence, emotional resilience, communication skills, self-awareness, discipline, leadership, and healthier ways of handling stress and pressure.
The programmes also support schools in strengthening their Ofsted “Personal Development” provision through practical, engaging, and relatable sessions focused on character development, emotional wellbeing, resilience, mindset, and positive personal growth.
What impact do your courses and programmes have on the wider community?
We believe that families, schools, and colleges are at the heart of healthy communities. When young men are supported to become more confident, emotionally balanced, self-aware, respectful, and resilient, the positive effects naturally extend far beyond the classroom.
As young men develop stronger communication skills, emotional intelligence, responsibility, and self-belief, this can positively influence:
* Family relationships
* Friendships and peer groups
* School culture and behaviour
* Future workplaces and careers
* Mental wellbeing within the wider community
Our mentoring and resilience programmes aim not only to support individual young men, but also to contribute towards healthier relationships, stronger communities, and a more compassionate and emotionally aware society.
By investing in the personal development and wellbeing of young men today, we believe we help create a more positive future for families, schools, communities, and society as a whole.
