Volunteers' Week 2019: Caroline Magin

Caroline MaginThe MAPS project provides mentoring and advocacy support to vulnerable children and young people in Sutton, Croydon, Merton and Kingston. Their trained volunteers work with young people who are facing a range of difficulties, whether with low self-esteem or poor mental health, or with challenging family situations. MAPS Mentoring matches every young person referred with a hand-picked volunteer mentor to support them. Mentors meet with their young person once a week for a whole year.

This Volunteers’ Week, MAPS would like to give recognition to Caroline Magin, pictured here at Buckingham Palace accepting the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service on behalf of MAPS in 2014.

Caroline first trained as a mentor in 2009 and has been mentoring for 10 years, finishing her most recent relationship in March of this year. She has mentored 7 young people during the time and is one of their longest-standing volunteers.

“I absolutely love volunteering with MAPS and think that the work that you all do is so valuable to all of the young people you come into contact with. I’ve had quite a few coordinators over the years who have all given me brilliant support and advise whenever I needed it. MAPS is such a fabulous organisation to volunteer with."

The parent of one of Caroline’s young people said “Mentoring has helped my daughter a lot. She's a lot more confident and has enjoyed her sessions with Caroline. It's been good for her to have someone outside of the family to talk to. It's done her the world of good, thank you."

And another MAPS mentee said  ’I’m so much more confident. I think this is because I’ve had someone to talk to on a regular basis, Caroline’s a great listener”.

On behalf of all the mentees that Caroline has supported, the MAPS team want to say “thank you” to Caroline.

"Thank you Caroline for your dedication to MAPS and the young people we work with. You always strive to achieve the best possible outcomes for the young people you mentor, and we are very lucky to have you!"

Find out more about volunteering with MAPS