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The City Year Greater Manchester experience

Manchester is renowned for so much - its music, food, culture and football - but sadly, with a child poverty rate of 40%, many of its children face significant challenges every day. We empower young people to give a year in schools in Manchester and Salford, to inspire and support pupils to overcome barriers - to be the best they can be.

Could you be a City Year Mentor?

As a mentor, tutor and role model, you’ll be supporting pupils in and out of class. You'll have responsibility for your own ‘focus list’ - pupils who’ve been identified as particularly at risk of not reaching their potential - but you'll also welcome children at the school gate, be someone to turn to at break times and run breakfast and after school clubs.

“At school I was a ‘cheeky chappy’ with potential but I got into the wrong crowd. School didn’t have high expectations of me but I proved my teachers wrong. When I found City Year, I realised that I could inspire children to believe in themselves and be that role model I needed at school."

City Year Mentor City Year Greater Manchester

The challenge

A positive, 'can-do' attitude is the first qualification for being a part of City Year. You’ll be volunteering for long days, Monday to Thursday, facing challenges which will require resilience and resourcefulness. 'Seek to have a hard head and a soft heart' and, to quote a former City Year Mentor: "Keep going and you'll be amazed by the difference you'll have made to children's lives by the end of the year."

Your team

You won’t be on your own - you’ll be part of a diverse team, led by a full-time City Year Greater Manchester member of staff. It’s their job to give you support and advice, as well as to manage your training and oversee the partnership with the school. You'll also be offered your own mentor, whose professional background means they can be a sounding board as you plan your next step after City Year.

Your development

At City Year Greater Manchester the change goes two ways. You’ll have the chance to change the lives of the pupils you support but you might be surprised by how much they change your life too. And, alongside the real world experience you’ll gain in school, every Friday is dedicated to ‘leadership and development’. You'll receive training, coaching and networking opportunities that will help you in your role in school and in any future career.

Benefits and expenses

During your City Year in Greater Manchester you’ll receive £115 living expenses a week, your uniform and all travel expenses reimbursed. If you’re completing City Year as a university placement year, you’re still able to claim student finance. Please contact your university or Student Finance for more information. Other useful resources, including information on Housing Benefits and Council Tax Reduction, can be found at Volunteer England and the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Ready to apply?

This is the start of your journey - to support children who need help most and learn valuable skills for your own future. Our City Year Greater Manchester recruitment team would love to hear from you.

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