Breaking Cycles of Youth Crime Through Mentorship
The Coventry Embedded Mentoring Service, jointly funded by Coventry Youth Justice Service and West Midlands Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), was established to mentor those most at risk of, or involved in, youth violence, gang involvement and criminal exploitation, helping them to break free from negative influences and start building positive futures.
Funded by Coventry Youth Justice, the Coventry Embedded Mentoring Service is managed by Liam Teasdale, SOS+ Team Leader at St Giles Trust Midlands. He is also embedded within the Coventry Youth Justice team.
Many of the young people Liam mentors do not currently have any services which meet their needs. His support aims to reduce reoffending and involvement in crime. Liam conducts community-based weekly meetings that incorporate various activities to capture the young person’s imagination. This mentoring may include conversations, coaching, accompanying the client to court, or acting as the appropriate adult.
As a ‘transferer of trust,’ my role as a mentor is to guide, educate, and support young people. I help them engage with professional services, fostering understanding and trust in the police and youth justice services. By sharing my lived experience, I empower the young people I work with to see these services as supportive allies.
– Liam Teasdale, SOS+ Team Leader
Liam’s firsthand knowledge of the challenges faced by young people enables him to draw upon his lived experience. This allows open conversations and builds a trusting relationship where the young person feels safe and understood.
Using trained professionals with lived experience to help build trust with young people stems from the long-established work provided by St Giles. This nationwide approach focuses on turning young lives around by delivering preventative and early intervention work, as well as training for parents and professionals in educational and community settings.
The Coventry Embedded Mentoring Service can be a beacon of hope for young people caught in the cycle of crime, providing them with the support and guidance, cultivated by trust and understanding, they need to break free from negative influences and pursue positive paths and build a brighter future.