A Gold Star Programme

In 2004 Chance UK was highlighted as a ‘Gold Star’ mentoring project by the Home Office Active Community Unit. We were one of only eight projects across the UK to gain this status in 2004 and one of six to maintain this status in 2006.

This status means that we are recognised as an exemplar of best practice in mentoring and befriending and as such are expected to:

• Work in partnership with the national Mentoring and Befriending Foundation.
• Contribute to policy development and implementation
• Act as a source of expertise and experience to Government on issues relating to our work
• Effectively disseminate information within the voluntary and community sector
• Promote volunteering and community involvement opportunities.

To learn more about Gold Star programmes see http://www.goldstar.org.uk/

In 2006 we were also awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, an award that gives recognition to the unsung heroes in our communities that play an essential role in our daily lives.

All winners are nominated by members of the public who have either benefited from their work, or seen the positive effect on their community. The Award is only given to those groups where volunteers are judged to have regularly devoted their time to providing an outstanding level of help to other people.

Wasim Akhtar – Active Communities Directorate, Home Office

“In March 2004 we selected eight ‘Gold Star’ mentoring/befriending projects … Chance UK was one of those projects.  Gold Star status was given to Chance UK on the recommendation of our research and evaluation team and the experience of officials.  The Home Office believe Chance UK will use continuation funding to build on their past significant achievements.

“The Home Office feel that the programme developed by Chance UK has shown that early involvement in mentoring can change the expectations of children who may otherwise be lost to drugs and/or crime in later life.  We very much support the expansion of this work across the UK .”