ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the findings from qualitative research with 13 young people regarding the benefits that they associated with mentoring in their lives are presented under four themes. The mentoring relationship was seen to influence the social and emotional well-being of the young people in a range of ways, including providing a social outlet, providing a listening ear, relieving stress and improving sociability and self-confidence. Some young people described their mentors as ‘like family’. Mentors were also seen to support young people in terms of educational engagement and progression in a variety of ways, including providing practical support, encouragement and support with reframing challenging situations. There were also accounts of how mentoring had supported young people to develop their social capital and become oriented towards civic behaviour, including volunteering and youth leadership. Finally, the role played by mentors in supporting young people’s transition to adulthood and processes of identity development is explored. Mentors were described as role models, with young people highlighting aspects of their character, lifestyle or family life that they admired and would like to emulate.
