Safe Practice Guidelines for Youth Mentoring

The NZ Youth Mentoring Network has worked with the Ministry to produce safe practice guidelines for mentoring providers. These will support providers to review and develop their programmes, and help them work towards better systems, practices, procedures and protocols.

The guidelines include advice to assist programme providers to:

• identify safety-related aspects of their programme that require further development
• ensure adequate support is in place for both young people and volunteer mentors ensure that the right measures are in place to build successful mentoring relationships.

Funders of youth mentoring programmes are also encouraged to use these guidelines to determine the suitability of youth mentoring programmes for sponsorship and other financial assistance.

These guidelines were produced as part of the Children’s Action Plan initiatives for mentoring and supporting vulnerable children.