About the project
The project is a nine-month adventure based mentoring programme for young people at high-risk of becoming involved in violence. Young people are referred via schools, pupil referral units and local authority youth services.
The initial phase of the programme is rock climbing where young people attend a local indoor rock-climbing wall each week as part of a small group. The first four weeks is the ‘befriending stage’ where young people begin to build rapport with staff through learning new skills. This stage is intended to organically match mentors and mentees. From Week 5 formal mentoring commences where each young person works with a dedicated mentor to set SMART objectives and address a range of character-building areas such as confidence, self-esteem, and commitment.
The next phase is bicycle maintenance, where the young person continues to receive 1-2-1 mentoring alongside learning new skills. At the end of this phase each young person receives a bike to keep for themselves.
The final element of the course is an Outward Bound Trust trip which is a five-day residential where young people will engage in hill-walking and a range of outdoor challenging activities.
The whole programme culminates in a celebration event in which young people are encouraged to bring their parents and carers to one of the delivery centres. The event includes an awards ceremony and a photo presentation from the course and trip to remind young people of all the challenges they have taken on.
This project is in the London Boroughs of Islington, Camden, Hackney and Haringey and works with a cohort of young people whose demographic is overrepresented in the Youth Justice System.
About the funding round
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Themed grant round
Grant:Another chance – Diversion from the criminal justice system
We know that sometimes, children need another chance: alternatives to arrest, conviction and custody. Diversion programmes help them do that.
