Mentor+ - Youth mentoring programme to prevent juvenile offending

Youth within the juvenile justice system (JJS) are among the most vulnerable citizens. Research shows that incarceration does not attend to their needs and it often results in negative behavioural & mental health consequences (e.g. maintain, or even increase, levels of engagement in anti-social behaviour and criminal activity) (Lambie & Randell, 2013). Moreover, the relationship between juvenile delinquency & school dropout, mental health problems, substance abuse, unemployment, illegal lifestyle, a higher risk of intergenerational perpetuation of patterns and internalizing disorders (e.g. depression and anxiety) is backboned by research. An added concern is that research shows that most adults in prison had a past of juvenile delinquency and institutionalization (Farrington, 2003; Ezell & Cohen, 2005). Research in the field of adolescent delinquency shows a positive correlation between mentoring relationships and increased shows a positive correlation between mentoring relationships and increased social capital, such as self-esteem, education, and employment achievements (Kelley & Lee, 2018). Longitudinal studies have shown that natural mentors reduce delinquency over time.

1. During 36 months to design & pilot a mentoring programme for justice-involved youth in order to avoid their incarceration/ institutionalization, targeting at least 60 young people in conflict with the law. 2. Create a Handbook for the Mentors to support them in mentoring justice-involved Youth (providing guidelines, templates and useful tools to put into motion during the mentoring sessions), piloted by 60 mentors in the different country partners. 3. Create and pilot a mobile application, available in 6 different European languages to support mentors and mentees in real time, giving visibility to the added value of the electronic nature of e-mentoring as a mechanism that allows mentoring relationships to transcend geographical and temporal boundaries. 4. During 3 years, to support more than 60 juveniles at risk of deviant behaviour/ in conflict with the law to reintegrate into society and have a life without crime, by offering them the opportunity to contact with a role model (peer mentor). 5. Create opportunities for transnational cooperation and exchange of practices between professionals and volunteers working in the juvenile justice system, organising 2 short-term joint training events involving 56 people.

Until February 28 of 2025, and as planned within the project timeline, the following activities were carried through. The first Transnational Project Meeting (TPM) of the project was conducted in Brussels, Belgium, on May 22, 2022 with the participation o

The three-year project's articulated outputs and other results were: - one Mentoring-Programme for justice-involved Youth adapted to the European Justice System context which will feature, a step-by-step guide that can be delivered in any NGO that work