How peer mentoring can transform Youth Justice Services? An exploration of Benefits and Challenges

Peer support interventions in Youth Justice involve young people being recruited and trained to undertake mentor roles and support children and young people through Youth Justice Services. This paper is based upon a qualitative research study using data obtained through interviews with peer mentors and peer mentees.
A reflexive thematic analysis was carried out to explore the participants’ experiences and perceptions of mentoring or being mentored and to elicit suggestions for supporting participants more effectively. Peer mentors are likely to have lived experiences and which can make their interactions with mentees feel meaningful and empathetic and reduce power imbalances common within youth justice settings. This can be transformative for both groups, with evidence of trust (that may have been lacking previously) established through informal support within these relationships. Peer mentoring has personal and professional benefits for mentors, enabling them to develop their own pro-social development along with that of mentees. The mentors may be seen as 'experts' who can offer guidance and support to professionals who are working with children and young people too. However, there is evidence also of power imbalances continuing for mentors whereby professionals have an over reliance upon the positive relationship mentors hold with young people. Clarity of the role and responsibilities and professional buy-in is vital to the success of peer mentoring. This paper explores the benefits and tensions within peer mentoring and sets out some key principles to progress this transformative approach.