Youth Mentoring in Ireland: Weighing up the Benefits and Challenges

Abstract

Internationally, mentoring for young people has become increasingly attractive to policy makers as a micro-level response to the needs of young people deemed to be ¿at risk¿ or in need of support. The Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) youth mentoring programme was introduced to Ireland in 2002 and, based on its success and popularity to date, is due to expand considerably over the coming years.This paper outlines key findings from the international body of empirical knowledge in relation to mentoring and from research into the Irish experience of BBBS. It is suggested that implementation of an internationally recognised programme in an Irish context can bring many benefits, but also presents a core set of challenges to social policy in respect of young people who are potentially ¿at risk¿.