Have your Say!

Amidst all of the media feeding frenzy about MP’s employing family members last week, I was glad to slip into one of the many receptions and events that take place in the mother of Parliaments every day and meet some real people. It was a celebration of the wonderful work done by heroic people all over the country mentoring others, young and old. We heard from those who had been mentored as well as the people, some of them still teenagers themselves, who had been mentoring others.

I met a fifteen year old girl from Plymstock School who was proud to tell me about the impact on her life that her wise mentor, also present, had made. She produced a computer print out of her behavioural record at school. Three years earlier there was a list as long as your arm of incidents of "disruptive behaviour" and detentions. This had shrivelled to three minor incidents in the current year. This bubbly young lady also told me that as a result of being mentored the relationship with her mother had improved dramatically and that she had lifted her horizons about what she might do with her life.

One meeting a week over a three year period with an experienced woman was all it had taken to bring about this change of heart.

What a powerful testimony of how well placed voluntary effort can make all of the difference to a young life. The state can help organise but does not have the resources to field a team of professional mentors. Besides it is important that the confidante is seen as being on the young person's side.

The mentoring scheme at Plymstock School is organised by Jane Brotherton who told me that they have more pupils suitable for this kind of help than volunteers.

Are you a good listener who has something to offer to the next generation? Can you put all of those excruciating years guiding your own teenagers in the vague direction of normality to good use? If you can help, why not offer your services, or find other avenues for mentoring people whose lives might be changed for ever. Jane would love to hear from you. In the end, most mentors tell me that they are the ones who benefit most. The rewards of seeing a young life blossom just by listening and offering the occasional word of advice are very real.

What do you think about this kind of scheme? Should the government be working harder to introduce this kind of help, or is it up to us as a commuinity to support the youth in this way?
I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Yours,
Gary

posted by Gary Streeter M.P. on Tuesday, February 12, 2008