One2One Mentoring
YMCA West Dublin has been involved in providing family support and youth work services for over 20 years in various locations in the area. The past year has seen an external evaluation being carried out on the pilot of a new mentoring programme which has been developed in response to emerging needs.
YMCA West Dublin has been involved in providing family support and youth work services for over 20 years in various locations in the area. The past year has seen an external evaluation being carried out on the pilot of a new mentoring programme which has been developed in response to emerging needs.
How was the need for your project first identified?
How was the need for your project first identified?
From our delivery of Parents And Kids Together (PAKT) clubs down the years it became evident that some children from particularly challenging situations require more intensive one to one work. Home school liaison teachers in local schools have referred young people who very often have experienced “abandonment” and other specific issues. Our experience has been that such young people do not always thrive in a youth club setting but may benefit from sustained and focused youth work. It was against this background that the One2One mentoring programme was developed and piloted.
From our delivery of Parents And Kids Together (PAKT) clubs down the years it became evident that some children from particularly challenging situations require more intensive one to one work. Home school liaison teachers in local schools have referred young people who very often have experienced “abandonment” and other specific issues. Our experience has been that such young people do not always thrive in a youth club setting but may benefit from sustained and focused youth work. It was against this background that the One2One mentoring programme was developed and piloted.
What are your project’s aims or objectives?
What are your project’s aims or objectives?
One2one is a listening and activity based mentoring service which engages trained mentors to offer weekly, one-to-one support to ‘vulnerable’ young people aged 8-14 years.
One2one is a listening and activity based mentoring service which engages trained mentors to offer weekly, one-to-one support to ‘vulnerable’ young people aged 8-14 years.
One2One’s overall aim is to create a learning and developmental relationship in which a mentor helps to facilitate, encourage and sometimes guide a young person who wants to learn and to grow.
One2One’s overall aim is to create a learning and developmental relationship in which a mentor helps to facilitate, encourage and sometimes guide a young person who wants to learn and to grow.
One2One mentoring gives a young person and an adult a safe space in which they can work together on developing the skills, knowledge and experiences to help the young person make positive and informed lifestyle choices.
One2One mentoring gives a young person and an adult a safe space in which they can work together on developing the skills, knowledge and experiences to help the young person make positive and informed lifestyle choices.
Short and long term goals are negotiated, agreed and closely monitored in partnership with the mentee.
Short and long term goals are negotiated, agreed and closely monitored in partnership with the mentee.
What were some of the highlights for the programme during the past year?
What were some of the highlights for the programme during the past year?
An external evaluation of the pilot was carried out during the year and this provided very positive feedback about the project from the various stakeholders including the young people, the mentors and the referral agencies.
An external evaluation of the pilot was carried out during the year and this provided very positive feedback about the project from the various stakeholders including the young people, the mentors and the referral agencies.
Some of the outcome for the young people included:
Some of the outcome for the young people included:
- Young people have broadened their knowledge and learnt new skills
- Young people have broadened their knowledge and learnt new skills
- Young people have space to talk and be listened to
- Young people have space to talk and be listened to
- Young people engage with positive role models
- Young people engage with positive role models
- Young people are better able to manage anger
- Young people are better able to manage anger
- Young people have an increase in confidence
- Young people have an increase in confidence
- Young people know how to set goals and how to make decisions for themselves
- Young people know how to set goals and how to make decisions for themselves
Quotes
Quotes
"He( the Mentor) listened well.. he helped me if I was having trouble at school.” (Young person)
"He( the Mentor) listened well.. he helped me if I was having trouble at school.” (Young person)
“It’s someone else to talk to apart from your family because that can be awkward.” (Young person)
“It’s someone else to talk to apart from your family because that can be awkward.” (Young person)
“It has made a big difference to him – it was a great release for him. I had an awful year – birth of baby-she nearly died, my dad died, he was able to come here and vent to someone outside the family.” (Parent/carer)
“It has made a big difference to him – it was a great release for him. I had an awful year – birth of baby-she nearly died, my dad died, he was able to come here and vent to someone outside the family.” (Parent/carer)
“I think it’s good kids have somewhere to go to, to express themselves – it’s better that they have someone else to open up to [Name of child] doesn’t like telling me things but he’ll talk to the mentor – he’ll listen to the mentor.” (Parent/carer)
“I think it’s good kids have somewhere to go to, to express themselves – it’s better that they have someone else to open up to [Name of child] doesn’t like telling me things but he’ll talk to the mentor – he’ll listen to the mentor.” (Parent/carer)
