The pledge is part of the Mayor of London's New Deal for Young People that will be delivered in partnership between City Hall and the capital’s boroughs and community groups.
Excluded pupils, care leavers, children in care, young people living in poverty and those impacted by exploitation and domestic violence will be among target groups.
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It is estimated that 100,000 young people who are impacted by these issues could be helped through the mentoring initiative, which is backed by £7.2m in funding.
Investment includes £2.4m through the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit, to invest in mentoring programmes aimed at young people who have been excluded to keep them motivated and engaged in education.
The remaining £4.8m will be invested in boosting existing mentoring schemes and providing training and work experience opportunities. One of the focuses of this funding will be on mentoring young people in science, technology engineering, arts and maths (STEAM) subjects. Grants of between £100,000 and £500,000 are to be made available to organisations to deliver such initiatives.
Khan said the schemes will “help prevent vulnerable young Londoners from being exploited or sucked into gangs and violence” and “provide a helping hand for Londoners to reach their potential”.
By 2024, every young Londoner in need of support will have access to a personal mentor.
— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) February 9, 2022
This is a promise I made when I became Mayor: to give young people more opportunities they need to build better lives for themselves. Today, I’m proud to be delivering on that promise.
“Working in partnership with London Councils and boroughs, community groups, the youth sector and others across our city, I’m determined to ensure that every young Londoner in need of support has the positive opportunities and role model they deserve,” he added.
“This will play a critical part in helping us build a safer, fairer and more prosperous city, where no-one is left behind.”
