‘He told me to calm down and all that’: a qualitative study of forms of social support in youth mentoring relationships

• DOI: 10.1111/cfs.12235
• Publication Date: 2015-05-06T10:13:14Z
• Authors: Bernadine Brady; Pat Dolan; John Canavan
• Keywords: Social relationship

Abstract The worldwide growth in formal youth mentoring programmes over the past two decades is partly a response to perception that young people facing adversity do not have access supportive relationships with adults and positive role models their communities degree they once had. Formal facilitate development of friendship or ‘match’ between an older volunteer person, objective supporting persons’ personal social development. Drawing on 66 semi‐structured interviews people, parents, mentors caseworkers associated nine matches B ig rothers S isters P rogramme I reland, this paper analyses forms support evident mentor–mentee highlights how relationship was perceived impacted well‐being participating. findings reflect consensus literature close, well‐established potential bring about meaningful change lives people.