About Us
PROMISE is a Somerset county wide mentoring and advocacy service for young people and children aged between 5 and 19 years who are experiencing difficulties at home, in care or with education and training. We also support care leavers beyond the age of 19 . The programme targets the most disaffected ,disadvantaged and vulnerable children and young people in Somerset. We currently support over 150 long term mentoring relationships.
Commitment: PROMISE mentors and young people make a minimum two year commitment, which will involve weekly meetings following appropriate matching arrangements. Many relationships continue well beyond 2 years. Intensive professional support is provided to mentors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Training: All mentors undertake an accredited training programme and can achieve an Open College Network Certificate at level 3 in “Mentoring Young People at Risk” They also receive a Certificate from Somerset County Council. PROMISE covers the County of Somerset and is based in Street. It is supported by a Steering Group made up of representatives from;
Our experience shows that the community is a rich resource for meeting the needs of looked after children and troubled young people. The extent of the benefits afforded by engaging with local communities in the search for solutions to the problems faced by this group has been an important lesson. Volunteers from varied backgrounds bring numerous resources, networks, new ideas and solutions. Many young people tell us their mentor is their most significant source of support.
PROMISE was established in 1999 and has steadily grown. It’s brief is to support the most at risk children and young people in Somerset by providing a volunteer adult mentor/advocate who meets with each child at least once each week for a minimum period of two years. There are currently 150 mentors involved.
Over half of all young people involved are either “looked after” or care leavers. Referrals are taken from schools, Children’s Social Care, Youth Offending Team, Health Service etc. Included are many children for whom education, motivation, attendance and behaviour are problematical. Looked after children are prioritised. The programme is managed by a multi agency steering group made up of Somerset Children’s Social Care, Police, Youth Offending Team, Health Authority, Connexions and Somerset Trust for Arts & Recreation (STAR), a charity promoting resilience for the most “at risk” children and young people in Somerset. (www.somerset-star.org.uk)