Sadiq Khan hopes to provide mentors to 100,000 young people by end of 2024 as part of £34m programme

Sadiq Khan hopes to deliver mentors to 100,000 young people by the end of the year as part of a £34m programme funded by City Hall.

The mayor of London said that over 70,000 young people have received mentoring support since the programme launched in September 2020.

City Hall and the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit are funding 150 organisations to provide dedicated mentoring support to young Londoners most in need of support

This includes children and young people who are not in mainstream education, those who have been excluded from school or college, as well as young people impacted by exploitation, domestic violence, living in poverty, and those involved in the care system.

The mayor’s mentoring scheme is working closely with schools, community groups and local authorities to reach those young people most in need of support.

On Friday, the Mayor joined Lib Peck, the Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, on a visit to Switchback in Tower Hamlets, which is offering one-to-one mentoring support for ex-offenders and those serving community orders.

“Too many young people in London face barriers to achieving their potential and sometimes those barriers – like poverty, being exposed to domestic violence and exploitation – are out of their control and can set them on the wrong path,” said Mr Khan.

“That’s why having one-to-one support is so important and can make all the difference between a vulnerable young Londoner being drawn into a criminal gang or turning their life around.

“I know first-hand the difference a trusted mentor can make and it’s great to see the difference our investment is making. It means that more young people and families across the capital can benefit from the life-changing impact of mentoring and coaching as we continue building a better, fairer and safer London for everyone.”

Adam Chaab, who has received mentoring support at Switchback, said: “Mentoring has unlocked my true potential which I knew was always there and it has given me excellent resources and skills which apply to all aspects of my life.

 “My Switchback mentor Abbie gave me the best advice to prepare for job interviews and this helped me to secure a role as a Talent Acquisition Apprentice in a global engineering consultancy company. I also received life-changing career guidance from my other Switchback Mentor, Celine, who shared wisdom and knowledge about the importance of taking my time to achieve my goals and ambitions.

 “No matter what age you are or what background you come from, development through mentoring is long-lasting. It has helped me to find out new things about myself, explore new passions and become a better person. I’m now a mental health advocate and love giving back and helping others by sharing some of the lessons I have learnt over the course of my life so far.”

The mayor first committed to providing mentors for 100,000 young Londoners back in February 2022, as part of his New Deal for Young People.