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Mentoring Scotland's young people

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Mentoring Scotland’s young people

Eilidh Watson

Views from Home: Report Published

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A new report, Views from Home, captures the views and experiences of children, young people and families supported through intandem and what more must be done.

Funded from the Promise Partnership in 2021 intandem sought to understand more where mentoring adds value, where there are gaps and what can be done to develop intandem in the way children, young people and their families need and want.

This is an important piece of work as we know from previous research that children and young people who are looked after at home do not always have the support they need, in a responsive and timely way.

A vital part of the project was the recruitment of a Development Officer, who had experience of the care system, who supported the design of the research and conducted the interviews.

More than mentoring 

A key theme was the importance of developing flexible support with children and young people telling us that building positive, long term and trusted relationships with others is important to them.

 

From the survey responses it is clear that children and young people value their relationship with their mentor. The mentoring provided by intandem was perceived as reliable, responsive and enriching. These included the ‘stickability’ of mentors and the longevity of mentoring relationships – with the average intandem mentoring relationship lasting 17 months.

The findings also confirmed intandem is more than mentoring and working alongside families is vital.

Recommendations

The report concludes with 10 recommendations made by the children, young people and their families all of which intandem acknowledges and is committed to taking forward. To do this, we need to continue to invest in our approach to involve children and young people in the design and development of intandem; how we share learning with others and embed change across our partner charities; and how we collaborate and partner with statutory services, particularly social work teams.

Part of a collective response 

While this research was intended for intandem’s own learning and development, it highlights where we can focus our collective efforts.  intandem recognises– we can only be successful in delivering on The Promise if we work together to ensure children and young people grow up loved, safe and respected.

We hope that this report will be useful to anyone involved in the lives of children and young people who are looked after at home.

intandem expand their team and help map mentoring to Keep the Promise

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As part of our ongoing commitment to amplifying the voices of children and young people, intandem are taking action to Keep the Promise of the Independent Care Review.

After a successful application to The Promise Partnership, we secured investment to recruit a Programme Development Intern to support the national mentoring programme, and are delighted to announce that Josh Hurd has joined us in this new role.

Josh will play a crucial role within the fund over the next year, helping to embed the voice of young people within intandem’s mentoring programme.

Upon joining the fund, Josh said:

“I enjoy working as a team and learning new things. I am a very enthusiastic person who loves spending time with people. I enjoy down time with family and friends and like being in people’s company.

I’m excited to meet everyone in the team and can’t wait to started. Family and friends are the most Important to me, as we build each other’s confidence up and help each other to overcome the bad times.”

Debbie Zima, performance advisor for intandem, added:

“We are delighted to have Josh join intandem. He brings experience of working alongside young people in sports coaching and most importantly has an infectious drive to get the views and ideas of young people at the front of all our minds, which will ensure intandem develops with their voice at its heart.”

In addition to welcoming Josh to the team, intandem have been working with the Scottish Mentoring Network and YMCA Scotland to map mentoring provision for care experienced children and young people in Scotland. The goal is to identify gaps in mentoring provision by mapping an accurate picture of where and how care experienced children and young people can currently access mentoring services.

Scottish Mentoring Network have launched a nationwide survey to enable mentoring services to contribute to the mapping exercise. Responses will help SMN and partners to better understand the current mentoring landscape and will allow them to make informed recommendations about how to improve access to mentoring services for all care-experienced children and young people.

Sarah Barr, Scottish Mentoring Network’s project lead for the mapping project, said:

“We are really excited to have been awarded funding to enable us undertake this vital piece of work. We know the positive impact that the mentoring services we work with have on the lives of Scotland’s young people and by contributing to this project you will be helping to ensure these opportunities are equally available across the country”.

Susie White, intandem performance advisor, added:

“Mapping mentoring provision will provide a clear picture of the current support available across Scotland. By working together to understand what mentoring services are available and where, we can build better connections across the sector to complement each other’s work and, most importantly, ensure young people get the support they want and need at the right time.”

intandem mentoring will continue during the coronavirus outbreak

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In these challenging times, we want to make sure we stay in touch with our intandem community.

We have transitioned our weekly mentoring to an online or telephone service to help keep everyone healthy during this period of social distancing.  We recognise that many people will be anxious about families, friends and carers during this time so want to make keeping in touch with us as easy as possible.

Our mentor coordinators have already been in touch with families, young people and volunteers to explain the changes we are making and how we can safely continue to offer mentoring support and perhaps help guide you to other support if needed. The coordinators have also contacted referring agencies to make sure they know our plans and that we are limiting referrals at present.

If you need to speak to an intandem coordinator about an existing match, then please contact:

Local Authority
Organisation
Contact
Email
Phone
Aberdeen Befriend a Child Aleisha aleisha@befriendaschild.org.uk 07852 305816
Clackmannanshire Quarriers Wendy
East Ayrshire Barnardo’s Kayleigh kayleigh.christie@barnardos.org.uk 07834 106409
East Lothian Move On Angela angela@moveon.org.uk 07787 256828
Edinburgh Move On Angela angela@moveon.org.uk 07787 256828
Edinburgh YMCA Edinburgh Bruce
Falkirk Quarriers Wendy
Fife Kirkcaldy YMCA Linda
Glasgow Y People Caroline/Jerri
Glasgow Volunteer Glasgow Steven
Highland Action for Children Sarah
Inverclyde Aberlour Brian
Midlothian Move On Angela angela@moveon.org.uk 07787 256828
North Ayrshire Barnardo’s Kayleigh kayleigh.christie@barnardos.org.uk 07834 106409
North Lanarkshire Y People Caroline
Renfrewshire Aberlour Brian
South Ayrshire Barnardo’s Kayleigh kayleigh.christie@barnardos.org.uk 07834 106409
South Lanarkshire COVEY Elisa e.mclean@coveybefriending.org.uk 07950 788569
Stirling Quarriers Wendy
W Dunbartonshire Y Sort It Marilisa marilisa@ysortit.com 07376 570606
West Lothian Move On Angela angela@moveon.org.uk 07787 256828

NB – full details will be updated here as information is confirmed.

If you have any questions about the national programme, then please contact Susie or Debbie on 07860 272 261 or 07860 272 256. Email susie@inspiringscotland.org.uk or debbiez@inspiringscotland.org.uk

intandem film launch celebrates three years of Scotland’s mentoring programme for young people

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intandem, Scotland’s national mentoring programme for children looked after at home has launched a new film to celebrate the third anniversary of their first mentor-mentee match.

Screened for the first time at an event at Edinburgh’s iconic Scotsman Picturehouse, the film takes a closer look at some of the individual stories of eight young people aged 8-14 years with experience of mentoring through the intandem programme.

With footage gathered across various locations over December and January, the film also captures a special reception for intandem mentees held by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Bute House, her official residence, as part of her commitment to hearing from young people with experience of the care system.

Guests at the launch event included young people featured in the film, as well as members of the wider intandem community, which encompasses mentors, families, charities and social workers involved in supporting the programme.

Continuing her close relationship with the intandem programme, Minister for Children and Young People Maree Todd was also part of the celebration, presenting participants with commemorative certificates and trophies.

 “I was very pleased to be part of intandem’s three-year anniversary celebrations, and I welcome the benefits that having an intandem mentor has had for young people and recognise the achievement of 300 matches being made.”

“The Scottish Government is committed to improving the care, support and opportunities for care experienced children and young people. We are keen to work with intandem and all relevant stakeholders to take forward the Care Review’s conclusions to ensure that all young people get the right support at the right time, and for as long as necessary.”

Inspiring Scotland Chief Executive Ceila Tennant said:

“This new film highlights the amazing group of people involved in intandem over the last three years. From the 140 incredible young people involved every week, the charities who provide the essential scaffolding and support, to the volunteer mentors from communities around Scotland.

“As the recent Independent Care Review shows, the importance of listening to young people and supporting them in building trusting relationships has never been more significant, and we know that intandem is making an enormous difference in young people’s lives.

“However, there is a huge amount still to do, and we’re determined to extend intandem’s reach to even more children who are looked after at home across Scotland.”

Funded by Scottish Government and delivered by Inspiring Scotland, intandem is Scotland’s mentoring programme for young people who are looked after by their local authority and living at home.

Launched in November 2016, the programme was developed to support children and young people looked after at home by helping them to build a consistent, trusting relationship with a positive adult role-model. Having a committed and positive role-model who listens and takes an active interest can help young people facing difficult circumstances to build relationships, experience new things, become more involved and realise their full potential.

The programme is delivered by 13 charity partners across 20 local authority areas, and there have been more than 300 matches between young people and intandem mentors across Scotland over the past three years. There are currently around 140 active intandem matches, meeting weekly on a voluntary basis in communities around Scotland, which will continue for as long as needed.

intandem will be holding other information and screening events. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Susie White susie@inspiringscotland.org.uk or Debbie Zima debbiez@inspiringscotland.org.uk

Mentoring boosts young people’s wellbeing

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In Scotland, there has been an increasing focus on wellbeing.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon recently revealed in a TED Talk her view that a country’s output should not just be measured economically, but by the impact it has on how its people feel. New Zealand recently handed down its first budget which focused on wellbeing, promoting initiatives that enabled prisoner rehabilitation and tackled societal issues. As the country’s Finance Minister Grant Robertson put it: “How could we be a Rockstar [economy]…with homelessness, child poverty and inequality on the rise?”

Young People especially benefit from a focus on wellbeing.

By living active lives with a supportive community around them, their potential and opportunities increase. That’s the ethos behind intandem, the mentoring programme that supports hundreds of looked-after children in Scotland. Thirteen separate charities, all with experience of working with young people, are funded by Inspiring Scotland to establish mentoring relationships between children and young people and trusted adults.

These relationships are long-term and have a marked improvement on young people’s wellbeing and attainment. We’ve recently published a full report of the service which has included a Comprehensive Independent Evaluation  by research consultancy Blake Stevenson.

It’s clear the initiative is having a marked impact not just on young people’s chances for success, but on their quality of life too. According to Blake Stevenson’s independent evaluation:

  • 64 per cent of mentees said they had made more friends after being mentored;
  • 62 per cent said their self-esteem had improved;
  • Young adults with an opportunity gap but who have a mentor are 81 per cent more likely to participate in sports or similar activities than those who don’t;
  • Students who met regularly with their mentors were 52 per cent less likely to miss a day of school than their peers.

In addition, the outcome data of the programme speaks for itself. From November 2016 to June 2019, 247 matches have been made, with 438 mentors trained, 401 referrals received and the average match lasting 15 months.

Yet perhaps the best endorsement for the programme comes from the young people taking part in the programme itself.

Callum*, who is 14 years old, had been referred to the programme after being on a Compulsory Supervision Order for four years. Social work had been involved with his family since he was seven. His school attendance was at zero per cent and he had limited social contact.

He was paired with Jenny, his mentor, who helped develop his confidence in engaging in social activities and attended a school meeting with him, enabling him to talk openly and honestly about the challenges he faced. This put him on a path to a part-time timetable, bringing his attendance up to 100 per cent, and to a diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome, helping him make sense of some of the issues he was facing and helping support his additional learning needs.

“I’m so happy that I finally know why life is so hard and I’m not just daft,” says Callum. “I am better at socialising with people and can speak to them…I am motivated to go on courses and learn new things, which I wasn’t before.”

That’s the real impact of intandem – one summed up in a single sentence by another mentee:

“It’s great just to be able to feel like a kid again.”

*Callum’s name has been changed to protect his identity.

Celia Tennant thanks intandem charities and volunteers.

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Inspiring Scotland recently commissioned Blake Stevenson to carry out an Independent Evaluation of intandem. Established to support children and young people who are looked after at home, intandem provides them with a mentor they meet once a week, with whom they can have a positive and trusting relationship free from some of the pressures that life has thrown at them.

I am pleased to say that the report is overwhelmingly positive. It is clear that intandem is making a real difference to children and young people who are looked after at home by boosting their confidence, self-esteem, helping to re-engage them with education and getting them out and about in the community.

The feedback from children and young people, their families, and our volunteer mentors is excellent and demonstrates how important it is for all young people to have a strong and positive adult relationship.

53% of young people (mentees) said that their confidence had increased, 62% said that their self-esteem had improved, and 64% said that they had made more friends thanks to mentoring. J, one of the children who has had an intandem mentor since October 2017 said: “Instead of having something heavy on ma shoulders, ah can talk to someone about it”.

And the programme is proving beneficial for volunteers, too. 61% said mentoring gave them a sense of achievement, and 71% say they’ve learned new skills – skills that will prove invaluable for their career development. One mentor said: “mentoring has been amazing and helped me get the job I am in now”.

The evaluation also highlights the benefits for charities of our portfolio approach. The charities we support in intandem have been able to learn from our team and one another and have invested their learning to improve and increase the capacity of the services they offer to children, young people and families.

Looking forward, we’re keen to see intandem evolve and develop, thereby improving the lives of even more children looked after at home. Blake Stevenson has provided valuable feedback, and part of that feedback includes recommendations for how to improve the service in future, such as expanding the programme to children and young people in kinship care and extending intandem into new geographical areas. These are things for us to keep in mind, and I hope that soon we will be able to deliver on those recommendations.

For now, we are delighted to have proof of the difference intandem is making to the lives of children and young people looked after at home. The hard work and dedication of our partner charities, and especially the volunteer mentors who give up their time to support a young person, is really changing lives for the better. For all your unwavering commitment, I extend my appreciation and gratitude.

Celia.