About us
Meet The Mentoring School
Our Mission
At The Mentoring School, we believe that every support conversation has the power to change a life- but only if it is handled with the right skills, boundaries, and mental health awareness.
Founded by international expert Richard Daniel Curtis, our mission is to move mentoring from an “informal chat” to an accredited professional standard.
Our Values
Our values sit at the very heart of everything that we do, shaping how we pursue our mission.
The company values are:
- We move beyond inclusion to a culture of true belonging.
- We build trust through transparency.
- We grow a compassionate and empathetic understanding of mental health.
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We are proud to keep trust and understanding at the heart of everything we do, as these are in turn the foundations for effective mentoring.
At The Mentoring School we are dedicated to raising standards of mentor training for every sector, by providing courses and developing schemes which are directly tailored to your specific circumstances. We provide fully supported learning experiences, from individuals looking to expand their qualifications, to organisations establishing schemes for their entire setting or workforce.
We continually work with industry specialists to grow and develop our range of sector specific training, ensuring that our courses support best practice no matter the context. From corporate career advancement, to refugee integration assistance, to youth intervention and support, we deliver accredited training and qualifications founded in empathetic understanding of real, human connection.
The long-term positive impact of mentoring is profound, and we firmly believe that every sector should have the opportunity to benefit. Moreover, by raising the profile of mentoring and exemplifying best practice standards, we ensure that people can be truly confident in their understanding of and engagement with mentoring no matter its form.
We are a part of The Root Of It Group, a team of real people, with real experience and real passion providing excellence in mental health strategy through expert training, accreditation, resources and support.
Why Choose The Mentoring School?
What makes your qualifications different?
Unlike generic coaching or management training, our qualifications are built on a specialised mental health led framework. We recognise that to support someone’s career or education, you must first understand the person. Our Level 1 to Level 4 pathways are delivered in micro-learning modules: 15-minute units that fit into the busy lives of professionals.
Who do you train?
Our community is incredibly diverse. We have trained Olympic athletes, senior partners in international law firms, refugee resettlement officers, and preschool teachers. This diversity allows us to cross-pollinate best practices from different sectors, ensuring our students receive a world-class, versatile education.
Are your qualifications accredited?
Yes. Professionalism is at the heart of everything we do. Our courses are externally accredited, providing our students with a recognised status that they can carry throughout their careers. Each course culminates in a portfolio of evidence, ensuring that the learning is applied and measurable.
Our History
Founded on the Frontline of Education and Wellbeing
In 2013, Richard Daniel Curtis was a children and young people’s behaviour expert working in a local authority. Growing tired of the impact of funding cuts and the effect on vulnerable people, he decided to establish a consultancy service for schools and colleges; developing and delivering Learning Mentor training. The Root of It soon became known for its dedication to understanding and overcoming the underlying issues that fuel challenging behaviours- an approach which has been carried through all training courses.
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From stepping in to help with unexpected charity closure and intervention planning meetings, to engaging with the Home Office over Syrian refugee resettlement, it became clear that there was a need for more specialised training approaches in multiple sectors. And thus, The Mentoring School came into being.
Starting with consultancy for companies employing apprentices with additional needs, our scope soon expanded and the range of courses on offer continued to grow to meet the needs of the wider workforce. What’s more, our process for creating and developing courses allowed us to make vital training accessible to both organisations and individuals, enabling people from all walks of life to benefit.
Today we are proud to provide a full catalogue of mentoring courses across a variety of disciplines, with on-demand, live virtual, and in person training formats available. Additionally, we offer external accreditation services for organisations running mentoring training whether as a registered delivery partner or to validate their internally grown courses. Alongside this are our specialised training days which allow organisations to create a fully bespoke package in collaboration with our experts.
Moving forward we will continue to pursue our mission of raising the standards of mentor training for every sector, ensuring that as many people can benefit from best practice as possible. With further exciting partner collaborations on the horizon, we look forward to furthering the scope and impact of mentoring for all.
Meet Our Founder: Richard Daniel Curtis
A Recognised Authority in Mental Health and Mentoring.
The Mentoring School was founded for individuals looking to grow professionally and organisations wanting to embed mentoring into their company culture. It was set up by leading mental health expert Richard Daniel Curtis.
As an experienced professional in the sector, Richard has advised government departments and written more than 200 training courses for individuals and organisations.
He is the author of the Structure for Mentoring conversations which is a framework used in mentoring conversations and mentoring best practice around the world. Through his work, the former teacher has impacted the lives of more than 12 million people. And that figure is only going up.
Richard is also a distinguished author who has written 11 books and featured in publications around the globe. He has appeared on TV, print and radio, and is a frequent commentator on mental health policy.
Meet The Team
António D’Abreu
As an Administrative Assistant I help keep things running by handling emails, documents, and whatever else needs doing now. I love my job because I enjoy spreadsheets and sorting data, and I get to do that often. One interesting thing about me is I track all the media I consume (films, books, games) in my own personal spreadsheet.
Claire Bui
As a Marketing Executive I help share our message to raise awareness around mental health at workplace. I care about helping more people feel supported. My hobby of reading fiction inspires the way I work and connect with others.
Frances Taylor-Young
As an Administrative Assistant I am responsible for a variety of tasks including processing invoices, course bookings and general office administration. I enjoy helping customers and supporting them to make the most out of their booking. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my family and young son.
Helen Rathborne
As an Assessor & IQA I support learners to achieve their qualifications and work with our team to support continuous development and quality of delivery. I love my job as every day is I support others to grow and develop their knowledge, and I work with a great team of people that makes the office a great place to be. I have been a regular at my local pub quiz team for over 10 years.
Jenny Mote
As a Marketing Executive I shape and share our message about accredited training which makes a genuine impact on people’s lives and work. I care about people having the opportunity to learn and grow. My free time is spent on walks with the fluffiest dog in the world.
Liz Allen
As an Administrative Assistant within my role, I cover most day-to-day admin tasks, including the creation of data spreadsheets. Knowing that my work supports other people in their development and understanding of overcoming mental health barriers, means my role is positive and meaningful. In my spare time, I enjoy playing a range of musical instruments. I was the first female sea cadet to play the Last Post at the local cenotaph.
Rachel Booth
As an Administrative Assistant I’m part of our friendly administrative team, answering email and phone enquiries and supporting the day-to-day administration that helps keep the office running smoothly. Working part-time for a company that puts health and wellbeing first gives me a great work-life balance, allowing me to enjoy quality time with my elderly relatives and grown-up children.
Sophia Wilkie
As an Administrative Assistant my role covers many areas across the business including general day to day admin tasks as well as organising the Award ceremonies and when needed assisting Richard to manage his workload. I love my job as it allows me to have an impact in an area that everyone is impacted by. I also love the team I work amongst. I can speak two languages, English and Slovak.
Delivery partners.
The Mentoring School are proud to work with our trusted delivery partners who are enabling more people to access our certified mentor courses. If you’d like to find out more about being a partner, contact us.
