Sussex crime prevention project gets national tick of approval

The Rainer East Sussex Mentoring Service provides one-to-one mentoring for young people between the ages of 10 and 17, who are identified as being offenders, are at risk of offending or have displayed nuisance or anti-social behaviour.

Young people are matched with mentors who they work with for at least one hour a week over an average period of six months. Mentors help provide motivation and an independent person that the young person can discuss a range of issues with.

Following an assessment of its key management and operational areas, the Rainer service has been awarded the MBF Approved Provider standard - a national benchmark that is supported by the Home Office and Department of Education and Skills and aims to provide a 'badge of competence and safe practice' for volunteer mentoring organisations.

Rainer Mentoring Officer Dawn Inverson said that she was delighted the East Sussex service had been awarded the MBF national standard.

"Our volunteers do a wonderful job working with vulnerable young people in the local community, and so it is obviously very important to us to know that we are supporting them as competently and effectively as we can."

Support for the mentoring service from people in the Sussex community has been so strong that there is currently a waiting list of local people who wish to train as mentors. The Rotary Club of Eastbourne also provided a 700 donation after hearing first hand about the service's work.

Rainer is the national charity for under-supported young people. We work with 18,000 young people and young adults across the country '“ including those who are at risk of family breakdown, in or leaving care, caught up in the criminal justice system, homeless, or outside education, training or employment. www.raineronline.org.