PROMISEworks (360G-SomersetCF-A430571)

£6,035
Recipient Organization

Start-up costs for mentoring service

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Grant Details

Amount Applied For 6035
Amount Awarded 6035
Award Date 2017-02-08T00:00:00+00:00
Beneficiary Location: Country Code GB
Beneficiary Location: Geographic Code E01029061
Beneficiary Location: Geographic Code Type LSOA
Beneficiary Location: Name Mendip 005C
Grant Programme: Code December 16
Grant Programme: Title Grants to Groups
Impact Category Improve life skills, education, employability and enterprise
Last Modified 2017-10-19T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Duration (months) 12
Planned Dates: End Date 2017-03-31T00:00:00+00:00
Planned Dates: Start Date 2016-03-07T00:00:00+00:00
Primary age group Young People (13 – 18)
Primary beneficiary Children and Young People
Primary ethnicity White British
Primary issue Mental health
Recipient Org: Charity Number 1145692
Recipient Org: Description AIMS & OBJECTIVE PROMISEworks aims, through a system of Mentoring, to support the most vulnerable and at risk children and young people in Somerset. These include children at risk of coming into care; those for whom there are safeguarding concerns; those at risk of offending; care leavers; children with disabilities and others with a high level of need or disadvantage. At its most basic level PROMISEworks mentoring aims to keep mentees: - Out of care - Out of the criminal justice system - Engaged with other adults and the community - Safe & - Alive It achieves this by creating positive changes for mentees in: - self esteem - resilience - emotional and physical well-being - Relationships - Education and workplace - Community Involvement - Life Satisfaction - Hope for the future thus enabling mentees to enter adulthood better equipped to lead fulfilling and rewarding lives as part of the community. APPROACH The PROMISEworks model is founded upon the recognition that a child's quality of life is largely determined by their relationships with other people (ATTACHMENT THEORY). These relationships start with their early attachments as babies and toddlers and progress through to the ways in which their material and psychological needs are met via the help and support of others. Once the physiological needs of shelter, food and warmth etc are satisfied, their focus becomes the extent to which their emotional needs are being satisfied. A fundamental understanding of how attachments influence our lives provides the foundation for the PROMISEworks approach. This understanding directs the selection, training and work focus for all PROMISEworks mentors. When combined with the information received from referring agencies, PROMISEworks Case Holders and mentors are able to build a plan that will support each individual child or young person. The objective is always to help young people develop a greater sense of self-worth, belonging and the confidence to take more control and make plans for their own future. In this way, PROMISEworks young people build a sense of responsibility to their own communities. The mentoring sessions are designed to be stimulating and fun. However, the underlying objective is to derive the positive, therapeutic effects that come from a long term, trusting relationship with an adult. This helps the young person to re-engage and develop their own resilience. Mentors and mentees meet on a weekly basis for 3-4 hours of quality time together. Activities can range from cooking a meal to visiting a tourist attraction plus all things in between. (A sister charity, STAR (Somerset Trust for Arts & Recreation), supports the cost of entrance fees and larger expenditures such as music or riding lessons; days out etc). As a result of this approach, our young people are able to develop interests in a wide range of activities. These include sport, music, the arts and educational and vocational pursuits. Mentors encourage them to try new activities. Often, mentors will be alongside the young person, taking part and helping them to overcome the fear of something new as, for many of the young people, the fear of being "no good" often prevents them from taking part. Mentoring increases access to these opportunities, to the resources and resilience afforded by a multiplicity of networks, relationships and constructive connections with their local communities. From their mentoring relationships children learn to trust an adult, sometimes for the very first time. With their mentor’s help, they explore a bigger world where they become more worthwhile, discover their potential and gain greater trust and security in their relationships with others. The overall aim of this approach is to promote resilience and confidence which can help sustain young people during difficult and challenging experiences. ORGANISATION: Initially, PROMISEworks will assume responsibility for relationships previously managed by Promise Mentoring & Advocacy (PMA), a service provided by Somerset County Council. PMA has been replaced by Route1 Advocacy & Independent visitors; also a Somerset County Council body. Route1 now focuses upon the Council's statutory requirements only. In the first phase PROMISEworks will take over the management of former PMA volunteers who are working with those vulnerable children who do not meet Route1's statutory criteria. Without the intervention of PROMISEworks, these children and young people risk losing the opportunity of receiving the invaluable support of an adult, trusted mentor. In the next phase of growth, new volunteers will be trained to enable additional children to be brought into the scheme. PROMISEworks adult volunteer mentors befriend young people, making a long term commitment to each of them - "THE PROMISE". This commitment is always at least two years in duration. The average PMA duration is three to four years. All volunteer mentors complete a 5 day accredited training programme. They are all subject to a strict vetting and approval process which includes an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service check (DBS - formerly CRB). They are supported by trained, professional staff throughout their time as mentors. They meet with their Case Holder on a four to six week basis and have access to 365/24/7 support from PROMISEworks staff in case of an emergency. Independent Research by Plymouth University has clearly demonstrated the real benefits of the PROMISEworks approach delivered through a tried and tested organisational structure.
Recipient Org: Web Address http://www.promiseworks.org.uk