Manchester Metropolitan University
Mentoring Evaluation - July 2014
Rebecca Clarke, Chris Fox and Mark Sefton
Summary
London Probation Trust (LPT), in their aim to reduce reoffending, improve compliance with
supervision and provide a more holistic service for offenders decided to work in partnership with
voluntary and community sector organisations to provide mentoring services for offenders in
London to improve their rehabilitation prospects.
The two strands of projects that were evaluated were:
 A peer mentoring service for 100 young offenders aged 18-25 who were subject to Intensive
Alternative to Custody orders or licenses. Mentoring was offered to support offender
management, encourage motivation and enable compliance. Catch22 and St Giles Trust
jointly designed and delivered this service.
 A mentoring service for women and testing the ‘personalisation’ agenda to reduce the risk
of re-offending. This included an enabling fund to allow women and their mentors to
address any unmet needs that supported their rehabilitation. Catch22 designed and
delivered this service.
The over-arching outcomes for the services were:
• Reduced re‐offending rates
• Improved attendance/compliance
Additional outcomes were:
• Improved offender manager and sentencer understanding of the support that can be provided to
offenders through mentoring
• Increased positive life outcomes through practical and motivational support.
• Reduced social exclusion of offenders.
• Increased access to community interventions for offenders.
• In the case of peer mentoring, peer mentors develop personally and socially through supporting
others to develop, keeping their own focus on rehabilitation and boosting their self-‐esteem and
confidence.
• Develop integrated partnership working with the third sector.
Key Findings
In the first year: 152 referrals were made to the peer mentoring project (against a target of 150) and
71 referrals were made to the women’s project (against a target of 70).
 For many young men on the peer project progress in relation to the area of ETE was
prioritised. Mentors supported individuals to complete steps towards being ready for and
accessing work both in practical terms (with a CV, completing applications) and in relation to
their motivation and/or confidence.
 The availability of and access to settled and suitable housing was unsurprisingly identified as
a key goal for some mentees, with mentors acknowledging the challenge in supporting
progress in other areas without resolving this. Both projects recorded some very positive
outcomes for service users in relation to housing, inevitably though the mentor plays a
specific role support and advocacy and is reliant on other providers prioritising their clients.
 The profiling information for the peer project indicated that just over one fifth of the young
men referred were assessed and flagged as ‘gang involved’ by probation staff within their
case management system.
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Whilst this was identified in the initial ‘Theories of Change’ workshop as being a key
outcome for the project this was not a theme captured through any of the evaluation
methods.
To varying degrees the mentoring service had a positive impact across all areas linking to
Action Plans. These were grouped into four key themes: relationships and family, substance
misuse and mental health, debt, finance and benefits, accessing community interventions.
Project data demonstrated that 70% of the young men and 97% of the women achieved at
least 75% of their set action plan goals.
Recommendations
 Review and agree the nature of the mentoring projects, their underpinning principles and
the relevant characteristics of the mentors in role, and reflect this both in the contract and
communication to all stakeholders including the service users.
 Further reflect on what constitutes being mentored in the context of the voluntary status of
this relationship.
 Recognise that the profile of the service users is different to that anticipated and this may
require a review of the skills, knowledge and support of mentors and of the targets and
outcomes set of the project. For example the duration of relationships, outcomes in relation
to ‘gang activity’ etc.
 Improve the process for recording project data, and regular review of information to support
effective project delivery and contract management.
 Review and further understand how the mentoring resource is being deployed, this may be
in relation to the profile of the individuals referred, those being mentored and the frequency
and duration of the relationships.
 Recognise that employment is a key priority for the service users and area of impact for the
peer mentoring project and examine how this can be strengthened further.
 Consider introducing a personal budget for the young men’s peer mentoring service, in
particular when there is evidence that college/qualification registration fees are a barrier to
prospective employment opportunities.
 Acknowledge the reported success of the mentoring project in relation to housing outcomes
for a number of mentees, and the potential to expand this area of impact given the critical
nature of settled and suitable accommodation.
 Review the intermediate outcomes currently captured for the women’s project and explore
whether there are aspects of impact not captured.
Case Study – Women’s Project – FI
Case Study – Peer Mentoring - Hackney – LA
FI was suffering from depression and lacked
motivation to move her life forward. Due to
the nature of her offence, her family had
chosen to have no contact with her. This was
affecting FI and in particular the relationship
between her and her son. FI was interested
in counselling she felt this would contribute
massively in her life. FI said ‘she is finding it
difficult to move forward due to the
fractured relationship she has with her
younger son’. Together FI and her mentor
looked for suitable counselling and with the
help of the personalised budget available
somewhere was found. FI and her son were
booked 10 sessions. Alongside attending
counselling FI is currently doing voluntary
work in the hope to get into paid
employment in the near future
LA was not engaging well with probation so he was referred to a
mentor to help support, motivate and encourage him to become
proactive and integrate back into society’s values. He was viewed as
having extremist view’s based on his thoughts surrounding the law.
LA was given his probation order in 2013 for Robbery and assault with
intent to Rob. Within weeks of starting with his mentor LA seemed at
ease and became focused on what he wanted in life. Together mentor
and service user looked at suitable courses in plumbing and
eventually enrolled onto and started a plumbing course.
LA became consistent in attending all his probation meetings causing
his offender manager to have no more concerns about his views in
relation to the law and his risk was lowered. La has been supported to
complete a CV and has joined several agencies. He has recently
started work at the Hilton Hotel as a kitchen porter. LA is working
towards completing his plumbing course and is due to end in
February 2015.
LA is another success story as he has continued in the right direction
with the support of his mentor.
"A great project that broke new ground for ex-offenders working in the criminal justice system"
Evan Jones - Head of Community Services - Senior Management Team - St Giles Trust
'This was the first time that personalised budgets have been used to support women offenders.
Focused on meeting unmet needs our mentors were able to identify what would help most to
support rehabilitation. We have been pleased to see creative use of the enabling fund and positive
outcomes for service users.'
Colin Murphy – Director of Justice – Catch22