Mentoring Plus works with young adults, between the ages of 12-16 years, living in the Bath and North East Somerset area. They are people who have offended or are at high risk of offending, including young adults with previous convictions, those currently the subject of criminal court orders and those on the fringes of criminal activity. Many participants have a history of truanting, exclusion from mainstream education and being in care.

The project provides them with an intensive community based mentoring and education support programme structured over one year. Each young adult is matched for one year with a volunteer mentor, recruited from the local community. Mentors are trained to guide participants through the programme and support their personal, social and educational development. They are supportive, non-judgmental role models who assist young adults to develop and achieve their personal goals.

To offer participants a consistent and supportive role-model via their relationship with a volunteer mentor

To provide participants with the opportunities, and the support that they realistically need, to positively alter their lifestyles

To assist participants to develop and achieve personal goals

To engage participants in education, training and/or employment in partnership with local training providers

To enhance participant employability

To introduce participants to local community resources and encourage constructive use of leisure time

To enhance participants' sense of personal responsibility, self-worth and self-confidence

Mentoring Plus is managed by Crime Concern, a registered charity. It is core-funded for three years by Bath & North East Somerset Council with additional support from the National Lotteries Charities Board, Nationwide Foundation and Lloyds TSB.

The training for mentors was ongoing, with a three month training programme before mentors are matched with a young person. Training I received included: Counselling Skills; Drugs and substance use; Child Protection; Youth Criminal Justice System; Employability Issues affecting young people; Action Planning

The project is based on The Dalston Youth Project (DYP), established by Crime Concern and local agencies in the London Borough of Hackney in 1994.

The DYP received both local and national acclaim. It was visited by the Prime Minister Tony Blair and Home Secretary Jack Straw in November 1997. In 1995, The Home Office presented the project with the 'Make A Difference' award for the best voluntary project in the UK. In 1996 the project won the Eric Moonman Award for Racial Harmony as part of the national TSB Citizenship Awards from the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE). And finally, the project was included in the national Audit Commission Report on Young People and Crime, 'Misspent Youth', as an example of best practice.

The first national replications of the project began in 1998 in Manchester, Bath and the London Borough of Brent. Projects in Lewisham and Lambeth began in 1999. Other projects created since include Manchester, Camden, Islington and Weston-Super-Mare. Crime Concern are also establishing Mentoring Plus projects in Newham and Bexley.