ABSTRACT
The concept of “presence” has been frequently used with reference to the quality of relationships in health and pastoral care. In this chapter, we argue that the concept of presence is also of value in helping us to understand quality youth mentoring relationships. According to Baart's (2002) conceptualisation, the “presence approach” means that the worker or volunteer is “there for others” without focusing directly on problem-solving. Presence practitioners take time to get to know the person and their environment deeply and strive to affirm the fundamental dignity of the person. While not being problem-focused, these approaches may lead to problem-solving. The chapter draws on the findings of a qualitative study with young people in care undertaken by the authors and existing literature on youth mentoring to highlight the relevance of Baart's theory for our understanding of youth mentoring relationships.
