Adolescent Boys Mentoring
Adolescent boys mentoring is a 12-week, one-to-one mentoring programme for boys aged 11 to 24 that have experienced or witnessed domestic abuse. Through talking and activities, our mentoring programme aims to help young people better understand their emotions, whilst developing confidence and self-esteem. Young people will have the space to have their voice heard and listened to by a consistent and trusted professional.
Within weekly sessions, young people will work with their dedicated male support worker to understand how their past experiences are impacting them, how to recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships, strategies for staying safe and knowing how to access support.
Who is Adolescent Boys Mentoring for?
Adolescent Boys Mentoring is for young men aged 11-24, who live in Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, and have experienced, witnessed or have trauma linked to domestic abuse. The abuse can be linked to either intimate or familial relationships.
Young people’s experiences and trauma are individual and unique. With this in mind our support is flexible and personalised dependant on the needs and wants of the young person.
When and where is Adolescent Boys Mentoring run?
Our Adolescent Boys Mentoring programme is offered over 12-weeks, with weekly sessions lasting about an hour depending on the needs of the young person.
We adopt a flexible approach with our one-to-one sessions, and can offer support in a number of different ways including in-person at school, college, our offices or a community centre. We can also do sessions over WhatsApp, on the phone or over Facetime.
Where possible, we try to meet young people where they are. We recognise that coming out of school and travelling to sessions can be a big disruption in someone’s day. By being flexible with our approach, we aim to minimise disruption as much as possible.
We have strong relationships with many schools, sixth forms and colleges across Canterbury, Ashford and Folkestone & Hythe, working closely with their safeguarding teams to create a safe and secure place for one-to-one sessions.
What will I gain from Mentoring?
Our Adolescent Boys Mentoring aims to help you move past your experiences, its impact to develop and thrive, and to prepare for future relationships. It does this through:
- Giving space and permission for you to talk about any challenges and the impact of those experiences – breaking down the stigma and secrecy of domestic abuse.
- Offering the context and language to your experiences of domestic abuse, through psychoeducational support around healthy relationships, trauma and emotional regulations.
- Building a trusted relationship with a professional adult and identifying a support network to share your thoughts and feelings with.
- Discussing staying safe online in a world of social media and online dating, as well as experiencing coercive control and pressure online.
- Recognising healthy and unhealthy behaviours in current and future relationships for yourself and others, and knowing where to turn for support.
- Opening up the conversation about the importance of consent, in and out of relationships.
- Show you that your have a choice, and that your voice is heard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Mentoring is made up of weekly sessions, and these can be in-person, or they can a conversation over WhatsApp, a phone call or a video call over Facetime. Your 12-weeks of support can also be a mixture of in-person and online chats depending on your availability, plans and how comfortable you are with your mentor.
If you fit the following criteria, you can be referred into Adolescent Boys Mentoring by a professional, parent or legal guardian.
- Are aged 11-24
- Have experienced, witnessed or are living with the impact of domestic abuse.
- Live in Canterbury, Ashford or Folkestone & Hythe
- Have no more than 50/50 contact with the non-safe parent
- Your legal guardian/safe parent is invested in the support
Once referred into our Adolescent Boys Mentoring programme, you will be placed onto a waiting list. Our Children & Young Person Manager will call your safe parent, or legal guardian to discuss the information shared in the referral, what is involved with the mentoring programme and check that the support is suitable for the family. If suitable, you will be allocated a key worker who will be in touch.
Rising Sun has a Safeguarding Policy in place for working with children and young people which each of our facilitators follows. Our highly-trained facilitators are experienced at recognising, recording and reporting safeguarding concerns through the appropriate channels. If a safeguarding concern should arise, a member of staff will inform the school/college safeguarding team, parent and a Rising Sun designated safeguarding lead immediately.
The waiting list for our Adolescent Boys Mentoring is 6-9 months.