The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that his record £34m mentoring programme has expanded to reach more than 70,000 young Londoners and is on track to reach its 100,000 target before the end of 2024.
As part of the Mayor’s commitment to provide positive opportunities for young Londoners and to be tough on the causes of crime, City Hall and the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit are funding 150 organisations to provide dedicated mentoring support to young Londoners most in need of support.
This includes children and young people who are not in mainstream education, those who have been excluded from school or college, as well as young people impacted by exploitation, domestic violence, living in poverty, and those in the care system.
It also involves working with young people who have gone through the criminal justice system and helping them to develop the personal skills and practical training they need to build a more positive future.
Overall, it is estimated that there are 100,000 young people in London who face these kinds of challenges. The Mayor’s mentoring scheme is working closely with schools, community groups and local authorities to reach those young people most in need of support to divert them away from harm and crime and to help them achieve their potential.
This is a £34m package of support – the biggest fund ever invested by any UK city in providing mentors – through the Mayor’s New Deal for Young People programme. The Mayor is determined to support young Londoners as the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact our city and ensure that those in greatest need receive the support they deserve.
Evidence from grassroots community groups shows that the mentoring is working and helping thousands of young Londoners find paths to training, improving their mental health, personal skills, relationships with family and also diverting them away from harm and exploitation.
Mentors are recruited from a wide-range of backgrounds and Sadiq encourages those who are interested to apply to become a mentor3. They provide support and encouragement to children and young Londoners at a critical stage in their lives by acting as a role model, providing advice, listening to their concerns and taking an interest in and supporting their passions.
The importance of a trusted adult relationship in a young person’s life is crucial and that’s why the Mayor is committed to providing access to a dedicated mentor to young Londoners who face the biggest challenges in London.
Today, the Mayor joined Lib Peck, the Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, who is also co-chair of the New Deal for Young People, in a visit to Switchback in Tower Hamlets, which is offering one-to-one mentoring support for ex-offenders and those serving community orders.
It means that 752 young men from across the capital will now receive mentoring and dedicated support until the end of 2025 to prevent them from reoffending, help seek employment opportunities, and go on to live stable, rewarding lives.
Some of the Mayor’s investment is delivered through Propel – a ground-breaking collaboration including the Mayor, Bloomberg, City Bridge Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, Trust for London and London Legal Support Trust.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “As part of our efforts to tackle violent crime and to support young Londoners in need, I made a commitment to provide a mentor for an unprecedented 100,000 young people in our city. I’m proud that, working with others across the capital, we are well on track to deliver on that ambitious promise.
“Too many young people in London face barriers to achieving their potential and sometimes those barriers – like poverty, being exposed to domestic violence and exploitation – are out of their control and can set them on the wrong path. That’s why having one-to-one support is so important and can make all the difference between a vulnerable young Londoner being drawn into a criminal gang or turning their life around.
“I know first-hand the difference a trusted mentor can make and it’s great to see the difference our investment is making. It means that more young people and families across the capital can benefit from the life-changing impact of mentoring and coaching as we continue building a better, fairer and safer London for everyone.”
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