Press Release

Mentoring/befriending key factors in community cohesion – says new report to be launched at national conference

15 May 2008

Mentoring and befriending relationships can play a major part in bringing about social cohesion and reduce tension among communities according to a new report to be unveiled at the National Annual Mentoring and Befriending Conference, which takes place in Manchester on May 22nd.

The conference is hosted by the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation whose report on community cohesion states that mentoring and befriending should become a key strategy across the whole of the public sector.

From refugees and asylum seekers to the older person living alone, the young child in a big new school or the ex-offender anxious to make a fresh start in life, mentoring and befriending relationships with set targets of achievement and outcomes, can make a real impact on a person’s quality of life, sense of worth and self-esteem.

The keynote speaker at the conference Phil Hope MP, Minister for The Third Sector, says:
"I have seen first- hand in my constituency the beneficial impact of mentoring and befriending, both for mentors and those they help. Mentoring and befriending schemes play an important part in preventing social exclusion and improving community cohesion. The Government actively supports schemes through programmes like the Cabinet Office’s GoldStar."

The conference forms the annual networking event for the mentoring and befriending community. Delegates will hear moving accounts from people who have participated in mentoring and befriending programmes including a young person in care and a 14 year old boy from Bolton who is caring for a disabled parent.

Ndella Saho who came to Britain from Gambia in 2004 with her two teenage children will also take to the stage.  She was referred to RAMP – The Renewal Refugee and Migrant Project in London.  A mentor helped her to deal with many problems including housing and serious illness affecting both her son and daughter. 

"My mentor was of tremendous help.  Without her things would have been very, very bad," she said. "Mentoring is very helpful not just to asylum seekers but to the wider community."

Ndella will tell the conference how she has settled in Britain, has many friends here and is trying to obtain qualifications. She is now mentoring others including British people with housing and personal problems.

The value of mentoring and befriending is recognised in a number of recent reports and consultation documents including Lord Goldsmith’s Citizenship Review, the REACH Report, looking at the support that can be offered by positive role models and the Children’s Plan which calls for more mentors for young people.

The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation has just completed an 18-months study of the impact of peer mentoring on attainment, attendance, transition, behaviour and bullying. Over 97% of schools reported a marked improvement in the attitude of pupils who had been mentored.
 
The Department for Children, Schools and Families is currently studying the detailed findings and a workshop looking into the results of the study will be held during the conference.

Over 300 delegates will attend the conference at Manchester’s Hilton Hotel where 36 workshops will cover a full range of issues and related topics including safe practice, mentoring Looked After Children, volunteers and the law and peer mentoring in educational settings.

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