Mentoring youth

This chapter explores the concept of youth mentoring and considers, in particular, the process of supporting the positive development of disadvantaged or vulnerable youth through mentoring initiatives. Drawing upon data from the evaluation of a physical activity programme that sought to facilitate the development of disaffected youth, the discussion seeks to illustrate the purpose, structure and experience of the mentoring process. More specifically, it aims to outline the rationale for using mentors within such programmes, highlight key findings regarding programme impact (from the perspective of mentors, mentees and teachers) and identify elements of good practice. In this way, it seeks to aid the development and delivery of future initiatives in this area.