Mentoring

At the Luccombe Hub, counselling and emotional wellbeing are at the heart of our therapeutic provision. Lydia Stephens is our inclusion and Thrive Manager and works closely alongside her team of Pastoral Care support. Our qualified Thrive Practitioners ensure that each young person’s emotional, mental, and therapeutic needs are fully supported. Together, they provide a coordinated, person-centred approach that ensures every learner feels heard, safe, and understood.

We offer a fully integrated support system that includes Thrive Practice, Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), our own in-house mentor and weekly access to Aaron Rigby from Dorset Youth for Christ, who is available for learners who prefer external support.

Our mentoring and therapeutic work is learner-led, meaning support is tailored to the individual, their experiences, and their readiness to engage. Sessions take place in a range of nurturing environments, including the Luccombe Hub gardens, the yurt, woodland spaces, and alongside animals on the farm. These settings support learners in exploring complex emotions, building resilience, and developing emotional awareness in ways that are appropriate to their developmental stage and personal life experiences.

Through Equine Assisted Learning (EAL), learners engage in a structured therapeutic programme under EAQ qualified staff and registered with HEIRS, alongside horses, supporting emotional regulation, confidence, communication, and mental wellbeing.

Our wider team works closely with all facilitators and external professionals to ensure that each learner’s physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing is fully supported. This joined-up approach allows us to respond effectively to individual needs while also offering consistent support to families.