Why?

Stockport were keen to explore how professionals could maintain a relationships with young people when their role had changed. This was especially important for young people who don’t have anyone else in their lives.

What?

+ Pure Insight are a charity that supports care leavers across 3 Greater Manchester local authorities, Warrington and Cheshire. They provide a range of commissioned services in Stockport including the mentoring service.

+ Pure insight developed a service in collaboration with Stockport Council to enable professionals to remain part of a young person’s life on a long term basis.

+ Professionals who want to become mentors were asked to consider: whether they could commit to: 2-3 hours a week for a minimum of 2 years; the 10 training sessions and the idea of a long term friendship after the 2 year programme.

+ Young people need to commit to being mentored and supported by the Pure Insight team – often benefitting from the mentoring coordinator, the psychological support team, education, training and Employment and group activities Pure Insight offer.

The mentoring training looks at:

+ How the relationship will become more equal and on the young person’s terms.

+ Being open to share more about yourself in the relationship.

+ Learning new ways of working led by Pure Insight and the young person.

Impact

+ 8 young people are being supported by mentors who previously involved with them in a professional basis.

+ It offers support to young people around their 18th birthday when other key relationships are ending.

+ It contributes to 90% of Stockport’s care leavers feeling they have somebody they trust and 95% feeling they have somebody who listens to them.

I listen and learn from HIS experiences, and request permission to share my perceptions

H - Mentor

I worry if I don’t hear from him for a while, wondering if he is ok, thinking about him EVERY SINGLE DAY. I know I’m not his family or friend but somewhere in between.

 

 H - Mentor

Its mad – in a really good way – its been positive having H become my mentor. When she became my mentor she changed – she chilled out a bit and I started to tell her more stuff as I started to see I could trust her with more information.

 

Young person

Top tips from the mentors on the scheme

+ Have a gap of 3-6 months between your professional role and being a mentor.

+ Be prepared to be challenged about decisions you made in their lives.

+ Think about – what is your relationship like with their family – what will be the impact of that on your role as a mentor.