The heart of Eden
1:1 mentoring
A trusted adult, consistently alongside a young man, walking with him through adolescence.
What we're seeing
55,000
men missing from UK higher education every year.
2×
Boys are twice as likely to be excluded, and to be medicated for behaviour.
9 in 10
female teachers in Norfolk have faced violence, or seen it happen to colleagues.
Division
Boys are pulled between an aggressive masculinity and messages that reject masculinity altogether. We offer a third space.
Fatherlessness
Many young men search for identity and belonging in places that can't give it.
Hopelessness
Many feel they have nothing to lose. We answer with hope, and the possibility of a fresh start.
How we mentor
01
We show up
Consistent presence, listening and encouragement are the work.
02
We redirect
Energy, confidence and appetite for adventure are gifts. We channel them, so a boy can say “I built that.”
03
We start with who he wants to be
Mentors help him name the person he wants to become, then walk towards it.
04
Faith, shared not imposed
The work is held in prayer. In school we work within each setting's expectations.
Who it's for
Best started early, in Years 7 to 9, before difficulties become entrenched.
- Struggling with behaviour
- Missing school
- Finding relationships hard
- Worrying attitudes to masculinity or girls
- Young people in care
- Outside mainstream school
In your school
Step 1: Meet a certified Eden mentor and see if he fits your school's vision and values.
Step 2: Onboard him for a 6-month trial, under your safeguarding policy and reporting pathway.
Step 3: Decide a day of the week and a space to meet.
Step 4: Choose your first 5 young people.
Step 5: Reflect, discuss and learn as you go, with termly feedback.
Also available: small-group mentoring, character and leadership sessions, classroom workshops, staff training and Community Nights.
A safe pair of hands
Local, trusted people, chosen for character, maturity and the ability to build real trust. About one school term of training, online and in person. Mentors meet every six weeks.
- 1 · Invitation and application
- 2 · References and enhanced DBS
- 3 · Policies read and signed
- 4 · The Eden Intensive
- 5 · In-person training
- 6 · Interview
- 7 · Shadowing a mentor
- 8 · Introduction to a school
- 9 · Certified Eden Mentor
What we measure
Vision
Attendance, engagement, staying in education
Congruence
Behaviour, communication, relationships
Hope
Joy and satisfaction, in his own words
Empathy
Care for others, seen by staff and parents
18 → 0
exclusions in a term, for one young man, after mentoring