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 three 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.
Tips from mentors
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.