Youth mentors’ experiences working with young people to support desistance from criminal behaviour within the community
| Date | 20 March 2024 |
| Pages | 123-135 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JCRPP-11-2023-0058 |
| Published date | 20 March 2024 |
| Author | Abigail Newton,Megan Robson,Darren Johnson |
Youth mentors’experiences working with
young people to support desistance from
criminal behaviour within the community
Abigail Newton, Megan Robson and Darren Johnson
Abstract
Purpose –Young offender mentoring programmes aim to support young people’s desistance from
offending, but despite the importance, there remains limited exploration into mentor experiences of
supportingthe young people. This study aims to explorehow a community-based mentoring intervention
supports desistance in young offenders by understanding thementor’s experiences, with a specific
reflectivefocus on facilitators and barriers to theirwork.
Design/methodology/approach –Semi-structuredinterviews were conductedwith seven mentors from
Northumbria Coalition against Crime, a youth and community service. Interview transcripts were
analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis,with external auditing conducted by the
researchsupervisor.
Findings –Two superordinatethemes resulted: ‘‘Factors for engagement’’ and ‘‘Personalexperiences’’,
with participant disclosuresreflecting professional reward and a sense of success.This was interwoven
with ‘‘burnout’’, emotional investment and challengeslinked to barriers to effectiveness. Challenges
included the young people having external negative influences, multiple individuals involved in a
person’s care and the barrier of in person activities during the coronavirus pandemic. The clinical
importance of mentoring programmes, implications for future working practiceand research limitations
are considered.
Practical implications –The clinical importance of mentoring programmes, implications for future
workingpractice and research limitationsare considered.
Originality/value –These findings contribute to understanding mentors’ experiences of working with
young people in the community,offering critical insight into the mentorship and wider service dynamics.
Furthermore,it provides an inaugural evaluationof the Northumbria Coalitionagainst Crime services.
Keywords Mentoring, Engagement, Community, Crime prevention and reduction,Desistance,
Youth offending, Mentor experiences
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Youth mentoring as a multi-disciplinary intervention has developed over many years and is
considered a holistic approach to support desistance with young people (Moodie and
Fisher, 2009). Mentoring commonlyrefers to a mutually beneficial professional relationship
involving a more experienced personwho can provide guidance, demonstrate prosocial
behaviour and provide psychosocialsupport to a less experienced person (mentee)
(Aos et al., 2004;DuBois and Karcher, 2005;Grant et al.,2014). The purpose of the
mentoring relationship is for the mentor to support the mentee in addressing their
criminogenic risk factors and provideaprosocialfunctional relationship (Miller et al.,2013).
Existing literature supportsthe effectiveness of community-based mentoring programmes
(Andrews and Bonta, 2010;Drake et al.,2009;Ryon et al.,2017), with one study reporting
Abigail Newton is based at
the School of Psychology,
Newcastle University,
Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Megan Robson is based at
the Department of
Psychology, School of
Psychology, Newcastle
University, Newcastle upon
Tyne, UK. Darren Johnson
is based at the Department
of Psychology, Newcastle
University, Newcastle upon
Tyne, UK.
Received 24 November 2023
Revised12January 2024
22 February 2024
Accepted 23 February 2024
DOI 10.1108/JCRPP-11-2023-0058 VOL. 10NO.22024,pp. 123-135, ©Emerald Publ ishing Limited, ISSN 2056-3841 jJOURNAL OF CRIMINOLOGICAL RESEARCH, POLICY AND PRACTICE jPAGE 123
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