Our Peer Mentoring Scheme was launched in Autumn 2009. Under the Scheme, ten care leavers were supported and trained as mentors each year at the same time as being helped to progress their own further education, training or employment. Once they were ready to take on the role, the mentors were then matched with younger children who were still in care. These younger mentees value the support of those who have been through the same system and are not authority figures and the mentors are able to share the benefit of their experience in care.

Many of the first and second groups of care leavers have now completed their NVQs or have found apprenticeships or employment and are making fantastic progress in their chosen careers. Our next group of mentors have been identified and are being supported in their progress towards further education, training or employment.

We are now in our third year and we are planning to support up to 15 care leavers a year, which is nearly half the total number leaving care at the age of 16 in the county.
It is hoped that a similar number of care leavers will be supported each year. We are also developing more group mentoring arrangements instead of individual matches.

This work on this project is carried out for the Trust by Right Resolution, a local Community Interest Company with a wealth of experience in dealing with care leavers and those in care. As part of the crucial development of the mentors’ self-confidence and team-building skills, they have participated in a number of residential weekends with the support of the Chelsea Kids Camp project that is based at Eastbourne University. These have been a tremendous success.