Business leaders are being invited to become “YIMBYs” by saying “Yes, In My Backyard” to a mentoring project which aims to help young people into work.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Allen Gardiner.The Allen Gardiner. (Image: Archant)

“The YIMBY Brunch” event is being held in Ipswich on Thursday, August 17, to encourage people aged 50-plus to share their business or life experience through the GrandMentors project run by the Volunteering Matters organisation.

GrandMentors aims to support young people aged from 16 to 24 in finding work, taking up training or staying on in education.

As well as being keen to give back to the community by sharing their life experience, GrandMentors need to be open-minded, patient, non-judgemental and willing to learn and develop their own skills.

They are expected to spend around an hour a week with the young person they are matched with, building a relationship, acting as a positive role model and helping them plan and work towards goals in employment, education or training.

Mentors receive initial and on-going training, individual support from a project officer, group support from other mentors and reimbursement of travel and other out-of-pocket expenses.

The launch event in Suffolk, running from 9.30am to 11am and including a presentation by Dionne Walton of Volunteering Matters, will take place at the Ipswich Haven Marina, on board the Allen Gardiner river cruise boat.

Places cost £15 per person. For further details or to book a place, visit www.articulatehlc.co.uk and click on “Events”. Bookings close on August 10.

Volunteering Matters runs programmes aimed at helping young people, families, older people and people with disabilities. For further details, visit https://volunteeringmatters.org.uk/.