Junction 21 Mentoring and Advocacy Project

Junction 21 mentoring and advocacy project is a young person’s support project managed by the Youth Justice and Prevention Service (YJPS).

The project delivers a range of youth services including:

• mentoring
• independent visiting for children in care
• advocacy for children in care and child protection conferences
• appropriate adults for police interviews

Mentoring and independent visiting

We provide support via a trained volunteer for young people aged 10 to 18 (the precise age range depends on the service). This support includes:

• being placed in local authority care or leaving care
• being at risk of offending
• being at risk of anti-social behaviour
• being at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET)

Our interventions vary from short-term pieces of advocacy work to long-term mentoring and independent visiting. If you would like to apply to become a volunteer mentor or independent visitor, please contact Steve Coggins using the details at the bottom of the page.

All looked after children have the right to receive confidential advice, support and information from an independent advocate. Your advocate can also help you to make a complaint if you are unhappy about:

• the support you are receiving from children’s services
• your accommodation
• your education provision

An advocate will:

• meet you regularly
• listen to you and offer positive support
• make sure your voice is heard
• advise you of your rights and the complaints process
• help you to contribute to plans that involve you
• help you build your support network
• represent you at professional meetings
• assist you to make a complaint or to fill in forms
• help to empower you to make positive decisions

If you think you would like an advocate or a mentor, speak to your parent, carer, social worker, ISRO or an appropriate adult about a referral then contact us.

You, or your trusted adult, can then fill out a referral/consent form and submit to the contact below.