Youth-led peer mentoring service launches

The programme, created through a partnership between Fitzrovia Youth in Action (FYA), Mind in Camden and the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust will train young people as mentors for children who are two or more years younger than them.

"By the end of the first year, we aim to have worked with eight schools or youth clubs, trained 80 peer mentors, and engaged 160 mentees over 480 sessions," said Emilios Lemoniatis, consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist at the trust.

Andre Schott, director of FYA, said recruitment of young mentors will begin next week, to coincide with World Mental Health Day on 10 October. Professionals will then start working alongside them to co-produce the content for future workshops.

The chief executive of Mind in Camden, Brian Dawn described the initiative as "guided self-help".

He said the peer mentors will support their "mentees", by helping them to do "life-enhancing things, such as improve their problem-solving skills, reduce isolation and increase their self-confidence".

He said the peer mentors will also benefit from the programme - by improving their skills in team work, communication and leadership. 

He added that the young mentors do not need to have a clinical understanding of mental health, but will need to know how to make their mentees "feel good about themselves", by playing games together, and involving them in activities that will help them discover what they are good at.

Schott said: "What's different and exciting about this programme is that it is co-produced with young people, so that it is geared towards their needs, and is youth-led, flexible, fun and safe for all young people involved."