ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the rationale for youth mentoring programmes, and a case study of the Big Brother Big Sister programmes in Ireland, describing their youth mentoring model and drawing on research and practice insights regarding the benefits of mentoring for young people. It considers how mentoring can work effectively for children deemed to be at higher levels of risk. The chapter considers the question of how social workers and other practitioners working with young people and their families where there is a high need level can access mentoring more effectively as part of their support and protection interventions. Formal mentoring programmes aim to foster the development of supportive mentoring relationships for young people who may not have access to natural mentors in their lives. R. Philip review of published UK research on mentoring and befriending found that young people who developed meaningful relationships with their mentors reported increased confidence, social support and involvement with their communities.
