Redefining Resilience: How Back Up Trust connects people affected by spinal cord injury

Mentorloop Impact Award Winner
2022, 2023 & 2024

"The continuous positive feedback we've received has been so rewarding"

My mentor has been an absolutely amazing support to me. She is a very caring lady and I am truly grateful I had the opportunity to have her as my mentor. She has helped me massively and supported me in my time of need.

I am having conversations with my mentor every two to three weeks. I am talking about new challenges that come with SCI with her and she has been invaluable in boosting my confidence to try new things and start to do the things I used to. I learn something in every conversation. She is an absolute tonic!

Talking with my mentor about what is still possible has been a real boost, Radar key for toilets has been a real boon, talking about her & her husband starting to attend festivals and even going on a tall ship cruise as crew has given me & my partner lots to discuss about our NEW normal future.

Connecting those newly affected by spinal cord injury with someone who has 'been there' and lived through similar challenges helps people to feel less isolated and more empowered to live life to the fullest.

Before Mentorloop

Before engaging with Mentorloop, Back Up used in-house Excel spreadsheets to set up and track mentoring calls and matches. This system was inefficient, making it difficult to capture and maintain accurate data, which is vital for reporting and securing funding.

Our mentors and mentees had no way to arrange their calls confidentially, and we lacked a sense of community among mentors. Sending out group messages while staying GDPR compliant was also a challenge, requiring us to reach out to individuals manually, which consumed a lot of time.

Our Mentoring Program Has Transformed

Since adopting Mentorloop, our mentoring program has transformed, enabling us to reach more people affected by spinal cord injury (SCI) than ever before.

The program connects newly injured individuals, as well as those who have been living with the condition, with mentors who have ‘been there’ and lived through similar challenges. This connection helps reduce feelings of isolation and empowers people to live their lives to the fullest.

The platform has allowed our mentors and mentees to arrange their calls confidentially, which has enhanced the mentoring experience. Additionally, we’ve been able to create a stronger sense of community among our mentors, facilitating group messages and feedback collection in a GDPR-compliant way.

Since 2022, Mentorloop has streamlined the mentoring process, improving the efficiency of matches and allowing us to gather real-time feedback from participants. This data is crucial for refining the program and demonstrating our impact to funders.

We’ve consistently received wonderful feedback from both mentors and mentees. Our trained volunteer mentors go out of their way to share their experiences, helping mentees come to terms with their injury and adjust to life post-injury. This has made a profound impact on the lives of those affected by SCI and their families.

Ensuring Access For Many

At Back Up, we believe that support should be available to all. We promote our mentoring program widely, ensuring individuals and families affected by spinal cord injuries can easily access our services through Mentorloop.

For those less comfortable with technology, we continue to explore alternative methods to ensure they stay engaged and connected. We also conduct informal mentoring for staff members and volunteers, fostering a culture of mutual support within the organization.

Mentoring is a key service at Back Up, helping us bring our vision to life – a world where individuals with spinal cord injuries can achieve their full potential. Since implementing Mentorloop, we’ve been able to reach and support even more people. We’ve also expanded our mentor training weekends from three to four whilst also increasing the number of attendees. These training sessions equip our volunteer mentors with the skills they need to provide invaluable support to their mentees.

Looking to the Future

With recent NHS data showing a significant increase in the number of people affected by spinal cord injury in the UK, the demand for our mentoring services has never been higher.

As part of Back Up’s five-year strategy, we aim to triple the number of mentoring matches by 2025. We’re also planning to increase the number of trained volunteer mentors by 25% each year to keep pace with growing demand.

To support this growth, we are bringing on two additional coordinators and will continue to engage with our volunteer mentors through online drop-in sessions. These sessions help to answer any questions and support mentors’ ongoing development.

Mentorloop has played a crucial role in helping us scale our mentoring program and extend our reach, and we look forward to further growth in the coming years.