Our Grandmentors programme delivers intergenerational mentoring programmes for young people transitioning from care. The programmes involve a mentor, who will typically be aged 50 years or over, and a mentee who will typically be aged 17-24. The programme recruits older volunteers aged 50 and over to use their life experience and skills so as to provide emotional and practical support to young people transitioning from the care system to independent living. Established in 2009, the Grandmentors programme was jointly developed by Volunteering Matters and the Jecda Foundation.
In June 2017 we commissioned the Policy Evaluation and Research Unit at Manchester Metropolitan University to undertake a review of the Grandmentors programme. The review was funded by Nesta and DCMS as part of the Second Half Fund and was completed between June and September 2017 by Dr Chris O’Leary, Dr Jessica Ozan, and Andrew Bradbury. This external review looks at what Grandmentors offers in the current policy and commissioning environment, and how the model could be evolved for the future.
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