Skills for the Job: Establish a mentoring programme

What issues that children and young people face can mentoring help tackle?

Mentoring can really help young people who have a lack of consistency in their relationships. Many young people lack stability and a consistent positive presence in their life because their parents, foster carers, social workers or residential unit staff come and go. Mentoring can help address a number of problems that young people face, including:

How does it help?

Vulnerable children and young people - especially those who have come into contact with the criminal justice system - can be reluctant to engage with statutory services and anything perceived as "authority". Mentors can offer an autonomous, trusted, independent source of support by encouraging the young person to open up and engage more fully. Furthermore, the support can be tailored as a good mentor will be led by the mentee over what areas of support they require. The mentor becomes a single, trusted point of contact bringing together multiple services on behalf of the young person and supporting them to make the best use of them.