Faith Community Mentoring
The Champion in Me — delivered in faith and community settings
The Champion in Me programme delivered in faith and community settings brings the same rigorous, outcomes-focused pastoral approach used in schools directly into the spaces where many young people already feel safe and connected. Sessions are adapted to reflect the values and ethos of the hosting community — whether that is a church youth group, a supplementary school, or a faith-based community organisation — while maintaining the professional standards, safeguarding practice, and structured outcomes framework that commissioners and funders expect.
All delivery is led by Matthew Popo — a DSL-qualified practitioner with 15 years of experience — and is fully safeguarding compliant.
What this looks like in practice
Pre-programme consultation with the hosting organisation to understand the community context, the young people involved, and any sensitivities to reflect in delivery
Weekly group sessions building trust, peer accountability, and mutual encouragement within the group
Individual 1-2-1 time with each young person during the programme — dedicated space for personal reflection and goal-setting
Parent and family engagement woven in where appropriate — strengthening the village around each young person
Written outcome summary per young person at programme end — suitable for funder reporting and organisational records
Wethnk can support the hosting organisation to identify and apply for grant funding to cover programme costs — see funding routes below
Aims
Provide a safe, faith-affirming space for young people to reflect, grow, and set meaningful personal goals.
Equip young people with the tools to identify their strengths, overcome barriers, and build a positive sense of identity.
Build a culture of mutual encouragement, accountability, and peer support within the group.
By the end, participants will:
Hold a personal development action plan with clear, achievable goals.
Have built confidence, resilience, and a stronger positive sense of identity.
Have experienced high-quality pastoral support within their own community context.
Have had dedicated 1-2-1 time with an experienced pastoral practitioner.
Who is this for?
Young people aged 11–25 in church youth groups, faith community settings, supplementary schools, and community organisations. Delivered in groups of up to 7, with individual 1-2-1 sessions built into the programme for every young person. Can run alongside existing church programmes or youth activities as a standalone structured offer.
Particularly valuable for young people who are disengaged from school, facing personal challenges, or who would benefit from structured support within a familiar, trusted community environment.
Investment
Wethnk is committed to making high-quality pastoral support accessible to faith and community organisations, many of whom operate on significantly tighter budgets than schools. A community rate is available for registered charities, churches, and non-profit community organisations.
Full 12-week programme (group of up to 7, including 1-2-1 sessions and outcome summaries):
Standard rate: £9,600
Community rate (registered charities and faith organisations): £6,500
Grant-funded delivery: Wethnk can support your organisation to apply for funding to cover programme costs — see funding routes below.
Individual sessions (ad hoc, outside a programme): £120 per session - Community rate individual sessions: £80 per session
Funding routes
Many faith and community organisations are eligible for grant funding that can cover the full cost of a Wethnk programme. Relevant funders include:
National Lottery Awards for All — up to £10,000, rolling deadline (tnlcommunityfund.org.uk)
Church Urban Fund — community youth work in deprived areas (cuf.org.uk)
Jerusalem Trust — faith-motivated community work for young people
The Rank Foundation — young people and community development
Wethnk can support your application — contact us to discuss.
Travel included within Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. For engagements further afield, travel costs will be agreed in advance.
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