The I AM POSSIBLE MENTORING PROGRAMME

This programme offers support to young people based in Luton and its surrounding areas (Herts, Beds and Bucks).

Its aim is to end dependency and its wider-reaching effects: Anti-social behaviour, crime and exploitation, before they start, or just as they are beginning to develop, thus intervening to avoid the painful downward spiral too many of our young people currently follow.

The I AM POSSIBLE programme uses qualified youth mentors and in year one, has 25 places for mentees.

We are looking for young people to be referred from: Schools, NHS/GPs and agencies in the sector. We also welcome self-referrals.

The programme has been developed to help hard-to-reach vulnerable young people aged 14 - 25 years old who will: 

1: Benefit from a soft approach to engagement. Many already have negative connotations of statutory services.

2: Meet and agree the set of objectives within the programme and to scope out the journey, over 12 months (or longer if necessary, on an individual basis).

For more information and/or an exploratory conversation, contact: Felicia Bailey, Mentoring Coordinator: felicia@walktofreedom.co.uk

We have run this programme successfully for six years - here are some case studies:

Case study 1:

A young person referred to our services for gang related behaviour, antisocial behaviour and numerous reports of carrying an offensive weapon. This young person was supported and mentored around their love of music and now is part of an up and coming rap group in Luton. So far the 14 Plus team in Luton have reported that this young person has not committed any criminal  offences since leaving our programme.

Case study 2:

A group of five young people heard about our mentoring programme and jointly came for advice about their direction in life and the pressures of “street life” with a view to making music. This group was supported by the mentoring programme to sign up for music and media course at Jamrock Media based in Luton. They all still occasionally engage for mentoring advice as a group from our programme, which all still find helps them greatly.

Case study 3:

A young person referred for heavy cannabis use, antisocial behaviour, being on the borders of exclusion from school and drug dealing. Our programme supported this young person, which led to them giving up their life of drug dealing. They have also stopped using cannabis and they remarkably achieved 7 GCSEs. They now remain with us as an advocate for change, actively giving back through being asked by their school to give talks, which encourage other young people not to make the same mistakes which they had.