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Guiding at-risk youth through learning to work
Lessons from across Europe

anecdotal evidence is available to illustrate benefits of mentoring but formal
evaluations are rare.

RISE CPH (Rise and follow your dreams), Denmark

Rise and follow your dreams, based in Copenhagen, is a mentoring project that works with young
people from the sixth to the ninth grade of school. Its purpose is to ensure all young people enrol
on, and complete, a youth education programme. Although the project supports young people
from all backgrounds, most participants come from ethnic minority groups or immigrant families.

Generally, mentoring consists of a group of three mentors who work with a class in a school.
Each mentor has 20 minutes to talk to the class and share their personal stories with the group.
Stories can focus on how the mentor overcame some of the barriers the young people in the
class may be experiencing. For example, they might explain how they convinced their parents
that the career path they want wanted to pursue is a viable option. Young people are interested
in hearing about such experiences as it gives them ideas of how to deal with similar issues in
their own lives.

The ‘story sessions’ are followed by questions and answers from the young people. Mentors are
aware that not all young people like asking questions in front of everyone and so they are allowed
to write questions and drop them in a hat; this approach generates more questions which are
then discussed by the group.

There are no specific rules for this kind of mentoring activity. A teacher can book the mentors for
a two-to-three hour session. The mentors may return to the school every few weeks or may only
visit the school once a term. The frequency of mentoring activities depends on the school’s
wishes and the availability of mentors and the young people.

Alternative methods of reaching young people have also been explored. Ideas from the mentors
themselves have been introduced as a way of engaging with young people. One mentor
developed and now delivers rap music workshops to young people.

Mentors are also active participants in educational fairs and careers events, where they talk to
young people about their ideas for their future and the opportunities available to them. Having
mentors on hand at formal events is an excellent way of engaging with young people. Sometimes
at such events, young people are too nervous to ask adults any questions. By having other
young people there, it may encourage young people to access the information provided and
discuss the opportunities available to them. As well as working with the young people, and their
parents, other project activities also include work with teachers.

There is a lot of anecdotal evidence to show that mentors have generated a number of positive
impacts. Young people have thanked them personally for sharing their stories, describing how
the mentoring has inspired them to pursue education and career opportunities. Teachers have
also been pleased with the project’s activities, as demonstrated by teachers requesting that
mentors return to schools. Mentors have reported seeing real progress with some young people,
particularly young people who have been considered as unmotivated by their teachers. In the
workshops, mentors report that young people are more talkative and are openly thinking about
the range of educational opportunities available to them.

By having mentors from all nationalities, the project is able to demonstrate that anyone, from any
background, can access material on their education and their future. By sharing their
experiences, mentors have inspired young people to think about the range of available
opportunities and how they can pursue them. This process encourages young people to reflect
on their education and their futures, through the provision of different experiences. Young people
are able to apply these stories in their own lives and develop coping strategies for issues they
may be facing. Exploring different ways of communicating with young people is also an element
of the project’s success.

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