Our mentoring programme supports young people up to 25 years of age to take steps towards a positive future and achieve their goals.
Mentoring is an effective way to support young people who are at particular risk of exclusion and homelessness. By working with them one-to-one on achievable goals chosen by them, we can equip young for independent living and set them up for a bright future. This is what Horizons does.
Horizons helps young people to find the direction that’s right for them. It involves mentoring participants, with a focus on developing solutions to the pressures that they face so that they can achieve their goals. This personal approach can work very well, especially when wider approaches in the care or school systems have failed. Our ‘solution focused’ programme focuses on young people’s strengths, rather than the barriers they face. This helps to improve their confidence, self-esteem, and resilience. In turn, this can help open up new opportunities and experiences for them.
Horizons works with young people up to the age of 18 who are at risk of social exclusion, with a particular emphasis on care leavers. The project covers several London boroughs, and matches young people with volunteer mentors to increase their confidence and resilience, improve school attendance and attainment, and help them to achieve their full potential. This is accompanied by a range of skills-focused workshops that help young people build the skills they need to live independently.
Horizons is funded by charitable gifts and donations, which allow us to continue supporting young people in London and help them to thrive.
We work with schools, community groups and charities to let young people know about our mentoring service and its benefits. If you would like to be mentored, or you know someone who could benefit from it, contact Jon Deakin at jon.deakin@evolvehousing.org.uk.
I was feeling stressed but Zoe was really friendly and helped me to consider other options for study and to see that it was okay for me to change my mind and try something else.
Crystal, a mentee from Kensington
