ABSTRACT
Introduction and background The idea of mentoring is not new. It has its origins in Greek mythology where the poet Homer describes how Odysseus chose a man called Mentor to be a guardian and tutor for his son when he was away at war. Thus, the term mentor came to mean any trusted counsellor or guide. The mentoring of young people by adults has been used successfully in the United States for generations. This chapter will describe how the North London Mentor Programme (NLMP) helped North London College (now part of City and Islington College) to develop an ‘achievement culture’ for black students,1 which helped significantly to increase the number progressing to higher education. It will also try to highlight some of the issues, concerns and good practice generated by the mentor experience.
