• HOPEFUL has been designed to be used with the support of a mentor
• Mentoring relationships are one of the most helpful ways of promoting healthy and positive development in young people
• Mentoring benefits young people in terms of their behaviour, emotional wellbeing, and academic and social lives
• Lots of different types of people can be a HOPEFUL mentor – including someone known personally to the young person, like an aunt or older cousin, or someone they work with in a professional or support capacity, like a sports coach or youth worker

The value of mentoring in helping young people to be more hopeful is backed by science:

1. Hope is developed and supported within positive relationships

Research shows that relationships are a powerful source of hope – this idea is the specific focus of Module 5 (My Hope Network) of the HOPEFUL intervention. Individuals and groups can foster environments in which young people can set meaningful goals, find pathways, and be motivated to work towards those goals. Positive relationships are those which feel safe and secure, and in which young people will experience a sense of mattering and belonging. These relationships do not need to necessarily involve parents – research shows neighbours, aunts and uncles, coaches, teachers, and other people can all have a powerful effect on young people’s hope.

2. Mentoring makes hope grow

When adults look back on their childhoods, research has found that those with higher hope had caregivers who spent more time mentoring them. Research shows that mentoring instils hope for young people, including young people who are vulnerable and have social and/or mental health problems. Mentors can support young people’s hope in many ways. These include being a role model, promoting self-worth and independence, providing support and encouragement, and being a source of information and social connection.