No. But if you’re able to share evidence, please do. The Programme provider who receives the referral will consider the young person’s exposure to ACEs when assessing their suitability for the Programme, using the ten main ACEs as criteria. And the decision on this aspect of eligibility will be at their discretion.
No, it’s enough for you to believe this might be the case. But it’s helpful for us to know if there are indicators eg displaying antisocial behaviour or at risk of being exploited.
The Programme provider who receives the referral will consider the young person’s risk of engagement with the Criminal Justice System when assessing their suitability for the Programme, using adverse community environments and evidence of antisocial behaviour as indicators. And the decision on this aspect of eligibility will be at the provider’s discretion.
Mentors come from all walks of life. You must be over 18 years of age to apply will need to complete a DBS check and training before being matched to a mentee.
If you’re interested in becoming a GMP mentor, visit gloucestershirementoringprogramme.co.uk and follow the links to apply directly to your local GMP provider – they’d love to hear from you!
The Programme is being professionally evaluated by Rocket Science (rocketsciencelab.co.uk).
All information will be collected on an anonymous basis unless otherwise stated, and stored and processed in line with UK law.
If you have any queries about this research or would like to receive a copy of the final report, please email info@gloucestershirementoringprogramme.co.uk
The two-year pilot has been made possible thanks to generous funding from CHK, a grant making foundation. We will be looking for alternative sources of funding to continue the Programme beyond this.
Initially, the Programme will run for two years, during which it will be professionally evaluated. And we hope it will continue into the future.
Initially, mentors and mentees meet up once a week. After a while this might become fortnightly or monthly, as the mentee becomes more independent and resilient.
Meetings usually last between one and two hours. And the mentor support will last for at least twelve months.
Head to our home page gloucestershirementoringprogramme.co.uk 1. Choose the area where you live or go to school. 2. Look through the providers in your area and select the most appropriate organisation. 3. Click ‘Apply for a mentor’ and follow the instructions.
Head to our home page gloucestershirementoringprogramme.co.uk 1. Choose the Geographic area appropriate to the person you are referring. 2. Look through the providers in your area and select the most appropriate organisation. 3. Click ‘Make A Referral’ and follow the instructions that follow.
If you have any ideas or questions about supporting GMP, please email info@gloucestershirementoringprogramme.co.uk
Mentoring is about developing the ‘person’ of the mentee. It entails interaction, flexibility, response and sensibility on the part of the mentor. It’s also a two-way process, with both the mentor and mentee learning alongside each other.
Mentoring is not ‘done to’ the mentee. Rather, it is ‘done with’ the mentee, because both people are actively engaged in the process of gaining understanding [about the situation] to improve it. (Adapted from Fletcher, 2000: Mentoring in Schools)
Unlike many other forms of support, Gloucestershire Mentoring Programme (GMP) mentoring is provided by trained volunteers – people that are giving up their time to support the young person, because they want to, and not because they’re being paid to do so.
The process varies a little between providers but the basics are the same:
- Complete an application form for your local provider and submit it to them.
- Someone from that provider’s mentoring team will get in touch with the potential mentee to arrange a first meeting. This will help them work out whether mentoring is the best service for the person concerned, and who will be the best mentor for them.
- Mentees and their potential mentors are invited to meet up, before being formally ‘matched’.
- Weekly meetings begin.
It usually takes between two and six weeks to work through this process.
- The Door (Stroud and South Cotswolds, 11-16 year olds)
- Breathe Youth (Forest of Dean, 11-25 year olds)
- WAM (North Cheltenham, Tewkesbury and North Cotswolds, 11-16 year olds)
- 1625IP (South Gloucestershire, 16-25 year olds)
- Thames Valley Partnership (Gloucestershire, 10-19 year olds at points of transition: primary to secondary school, those leaving care and those moving from working with Youth Offending Services to Probation Services)
- The Nelson Trust (Gloucestershire, 16-25 year olds)
- Young Gloucestershire (Gloucestershire, 11-14 year olds)
Anyone can apply on behalf of a girl or young woman who they think might benefit from the Programme. And most Programme providers also welcome applications from individuals.
The Programme is open to 11 – 25 year girls and young women (Including those identifying as female) in Gloucestershire and South Gloucestershire who are considered to be at risk of being linked to criminal activity. Often, this is because they’ve had four or more Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and/ or been exposed to adverse community environments. Antisocial behaviour is another indicator.