Dealing With Disaffection: Young People, Mentoring And Social Inclusion

Increasing attention is now being paid to issues of social exclusion and their relationship with the transition from youthful dependence to adult independence. Some young people experience considerable difficulties during this period in their lives, ranging from underachievement and disruptive behavior in school, through to the misuse of alcohol and drugs, to serious or persistent offending. Seeking to address these issues has become a major focus of public policy and various interventions have been established to work with disaffected young people. One of the most talked about forms of intervention in recent years has been mentoring, believed by many to hold much promise in reducing crime and antisocial behavior, while promoting social inclusion and attachment to mainstream social values. This book, based on a large-scale research study, examines the lives of a large group of disaffected young people, and considers the impact that involvement in a mentoring program had on them. In doi