Our Programme - Closing the Divide

The offender is initially assessed by a professionally qualified Probation Officer, who independently needs assesses them using professional assessment skills which are based in part on the National Probation Service’s EOASYS risk assessment tool. After acceptance, the offender is matched with a suitable mentor, and they are introduced at a three way meeting (which consists of the mentor, mentee and a Service Manager).

At this meeting clear boundaries are established in order to maintain personal safety and a safe environment. The overall mission of the mentoring service is explained and a contract is signed detailing the boundaries and rules. This contract also covers the mentor’s right of disclosure. The meeting then goes on to conduct a further individual needs assessment and from that establish a flexible plan of work. The plan of work is holistic and focusses on individual needs – in all cases the mentor will befriend, assist, and advise the mentee.

The basic programme is six months in duration, with an assessment at three months and a full evaluation at six months. The frequency of meetings will depend on individual need, but a typical programme will begin with weekly meetings, which will decrease in frequency towards the end of the programme.

After six months, we are confident that most mentees will have experienced positive life change and will no longer need full mentor support. Where the final evaluation finds that the mentee would benefit from continuing mentoring, CMS will liaise with CRC about possible continuation. Members of the programme also have access to weekly wider CMS meetings and activities during and after the programme, and always remain a part of the CMS family – it is anticipated that some programme graduates will become mentors themselves in the future.

As well as forging a personal relationship with their individual mentees, mentors work in supportive teams to ensure that there is continuity of mentoring when an individual mentor is away. This is managed by the Service Management Team.