RELATIONSHIPS • IDENTITY • ACCOUNTABILITY • PROGRESSION
RAP MENTORS®
Relationship opens the door. Accountability and progression give the relationship purpose.
RAP Mentors® is a structured, relationship-based mentoring and peer-leadership programme supporting identity development, behavioural accountability, positive relationships, progression and reintegration.
Rooted in RAP's longstanding work with young people affected by violence, offending, exclusion and marginalisation, the programme combines consistent mentoring relationships, culturally competent engagement, positive role modelling, lived-experience credibility and clear developmental goals.
WHY RELATIONSHIPS MATTER
CHANGE RARELY HAPPENS IN ISOLATION.
Many young people experiencing exclusion, offending risk, violence, exploitation or disengagement have also experienced disrupted trust, inconsistent relationships or limited access to adults they experience as credible.
RAP Mentors® is built around the principle that a meaningful relationship can become a platform for reflection, accountability and progression.
The mentor is not simply present to listen.
The relationship is used purposefully to support the young person to:
- understand their needs and strengths
- reflect on choices and behaviour
- identify barriers to progression
- develop confidence and self-belief
- strengthen communication and life skills
- access education, training, employment and wider opportunities
Connection is the starting point. Development is the purpose.
A WHOLE-PERSON MODEL
MENTORING BEYOND THE CONVERSATION
RAP Mentors® has historically been designed around a broad developmental model rather than informal one-to-one support alone.
The mentoring approach can address:
Personal Development
Strengthening confidence, self-awareness and future orientation.
Life Skills
Building practical skills required for greater independence and stability.
Social Skills
Developing communication, relationships and constructive participation.
Family / Carer Support
Recognising the importance of the wider relational network around the young person.
Education & Progression
Supporting engagement with learning, training and employment opportunities.
Enterprise & Aspiration
Encouraging ambition, purpose and access to developmental opportunities.
Positive Activity
Connecting participants with constructive environments, interests and networks.
THE RAP MENTOR
CREDIBILITY WITH BOUNDARIES
RAP Mentors® recognises that credibility matters.
Mentors may bring professional knowledge, community understanding, cultural competence or relevant lived experience.
Lived experience can help build trust and connection, but it is never used to excuse harmful behaviour.
The mentor's role is to combine:
Credibility without collusion. Support without lowering expectations.
MATCHING THE RELATIONSHIP
THE RIGHT RELATIONSHIP MATTERS
Mentoring relationships can be matched with consideration to:
- Individual need
- Interests and aspirations
- Lived experience
- Cultural understanding
- Preferred areas of development
- Progression goals
The aim is to create a relationship that feels credible enough to engage the participant and structured enough to support purposeful development.
THE INTERGENERATIONAL MODEL
TWO RELATIONSHIPS. DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS. ONE DEVELOPMENTAL PURPOSE.
Where appropriate, RAP Mentors® can incorporate an intergenerational mentoring model.
ASPIRATIONAL MENTOR
An appropriate adult, older role model or individual with relevant professional or lived experience who can provide guidance, perspective, structure and longer-term aspiration.
PEER MENTOR
Someone closer in age, experience or background who can provide positive peer influence, credibility and an alternative social network.
The two roles can operate differently but towards the same objective: helping the participant strengthen identity, relationships, accountability and progression.
THE WIDER NETWORK
MENTORING DOES NOT EXIST IN A VACUUM
RAP Mentors® recognises that sustainable development may depend on more than the relationship between mentor and mentee.
Where appropriate, the programme can work alongside:
- Parents and carers
- Schools and education providers
- Youth Justice professionals
- Social care and safeguarding services
- Community organisations
- Other intervention providers
This helps ensure mentoring complements rather than conflicts with support already in place.
The young person is supported within a network, not treated as an isolated problem.
FROM MENTEE TO LEADER
LIVED EXPERIENCE CAN BECOME POSITIVE INFLUENCE
One of the distinctive ambitions within the RAP Mentors® model is progression beyond receiving support.
Where participants demonstrate increased confidence, responsibility and positive development, they may be encouraged towards peer and community leadership.
This creates the potential for lived experience to be reframed:
Participants may use their experience to help other young people facing similar pressures, while developing communication, responsibility and community leadership.
THE DEVELOPMENT JOURNEY
FROM ENGAGEMENT TO LEADERSHIP
01
ENGAGEMENT
Establish trust, credibility and consistent contact.
02
RELATIONSHIP
Develop a safe, respectful and purposeful mentoring relationship.
03
REFLECTION
Explore needs, influences, strengths, behaviour and future direction.
04
ACCOUNTABILITY
Support the participant to take greater ownership of choices and consequences.
05
PROGRESSION
Identify and pursue education, training, employment, personal-development or community pathways.
06
LEADERSHIP
Where appropriate, support development towards peer leadership and positive community contribution.
WHO RAP MENTORS® CAN SUPPORT
RAP Mentors® can support young people who may be experiencing:
- Offending risk or justice involvement
- Exposure to violence or exploitation
- School or education disengagement
- Social exclusion or marginalisation
- Low confidence or limited aspiration
- Barriers to education, training or employment
- Peer pressure or harmful social networks
- Difficulty trusting or engaging with conventional services
Participation is subject to referral, suitability, safeguarding and identified need.
TRAUMA-INFORMED & RELATIONAL PRACTICE
SAFE ENOUGH TO ENGAGE. STRUCTURED ENOUGH TO GROW.
RAP Mentors® operates within RAP Trust's wider relational and trauma-informed practice model.
The programme recognises that trust may take time, particularly where participants have experienced trauma, instability or difficult relationships with authority.
Mentoring environments should be:
Mentors support participants through:
- consistency
- empathy
- emotional safety
- positive role modelling
- clear and respectful boundaries
- encouragement and persistence
INTENDED DEVELOPMENTAL OUTCOMES
FROM CONNECTION TO PROGRESSION
RAP Mentors® is intended to support development in areas including:
Positive Identity
Increased understanding of strengths, values and future direction.
Behavioural Accountability
Greater ownership of decisions, conduct and consequences.
Confidence & Communication
Stronger ability to communicate, participate and advocate appropriately.
Healthy Relationships
Improved engagement with positive adults, peers, family and community networks.
Education, Training & Employment Readiness
Greater engagement with progression opportunities and reduction of barriers to participation.
Community Participation
Increased confidence to contribute positively to local and peer environments.
Peer Leadership
Where appropriate, progression towards constructive influence and mentoring others.
WHERE RAP MENTORS® CAN BE DELIVERED
COMMUNITY
Relationship-based mentoring, personal development and progression support.
SCHOOLS & ALTERNATIVE PROVISION
Mentoring that can complement pastoral support, behavioural development and re-engagement.
YOUTH JUSTICE
Structured mentoring alongside statutory supervision, case planning and wider intervention.
CUSTODY
Mentoring adapted to custodial safeguarding, professional boundaries and rehabilitative priorities.
REINTEGRATION
Where commissioned, mentoring can support transition, resettlement and continued progression into community settings.
SAFEGUARDING & PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE
RAP Mentors® operates within RAP Trust safeguarding, risk-management and professional-practice frameworks.
Mentoring should complement existing statutory and professional support rather than operate independently from it.
- Clear professional boundaries
- Safe relationship-based engagement
- Safeguarding awareness
- Contextual risk awareness
- Trauma-informed practice
- Appropriate information sharing
- Multi-agency communication where required
A LONGSTANDING RAP FLAGSHIP
PART OF THE RAP LINEAGE
RAP Mentors® has longstanding roots within the RAP Academy model and its work with young people affected by violence, offending, exclusion and limited opportunity.
Historical delivery included structured mentoring, family engagement, developmental support and progression pathways, alongside wider RAP Academy creative and educational interventions.
Today, RAP Mentors® remains one of the flagship programmes within the Reaching All People intervention ecosystem.
COMMISSIONING RAP MENTORS®
RELATIONSHIPS WITH A DEVELOPMENTAL PURPOSE
RAP Mentors® can be commissioned as a standalone mentoring intervention or integrated alongside other RAP Trust programmes.
Delivery should be tailored to referral need, risk, safeguarding requirements and intended developmental outcomes.
Potential commissioning contexts include:
- Local authorities
- Youth Justice Services
- Schools and alternative provision
- Violence reduction and community safety programmes
- Custodial settings
- Community and voluntary-sector provision
SOMETIMES CHANGE BEGINS WITH ONE RELATIONSHIP THAT REFUSES TO GIVE UP.
Speak to RAP Trust about whether RAP Mentors® is appropriate for an individual referral, targeted cohort or commissioned mentoring pathway.
← BACK TO ALL PROGRAMMES