Mentoring siblings of gang members – learning from an evaluation

This journal article from ‘Children and Society’, Volume 26, Issue 1, 2012 reviews and summarises research on mentoring siblings of gang members with a key focus on an evaluation that took place a few years ago which used paid mentors and ran for 4 months.

Some of the pilot evaluation findings which can help build good practice in this area are as follows: 

• Mentoring was found to be particularly useful to engage otherwise hard to reach families,
• Short-term mentoring schemes are unlikely to be an effective tool for reducing gang activity
• The children involved were generally happy with their mentors and found activities fun. Some wanted a closer emotional relationship – and the short length of the scheme hampered this possibility.
• School staff saw that mentoring helped to improve behaviour, communication and social skills
• Funding schemes that allow for sustainability and access to after-school activities are critical to prevention of antisocial behaviour.
• May be a danger of labelling young people as potential gang members.
• Successful mentoring schemes are part of broader intervention packages. 

Download Mentoring siblings of gang members: a template for reaching families of gang members?

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