PROMISEworks is a local charity making a big difference in Somerset by offering mentoring services to disadvantaged children across the county.

Long-term mentoring makes a real difference to disadvantaged young people

• Mentoring can improve self-esteem, widen horizons and raise aspirations
• It can help young people learn to control their anger; prevent them getting into dangerous situations and stop them from causing harm or damage to themselves or people and things around them
• If only for a short time each week, it can give them the opportunity just to be children - to enjoy a picnic, jump in the surf or critique the current fashion trends without worrying about what else is going on in often chaotic young lives

Academic research backs up the direct evidence collected by our local volunteers, indicating that mentors are often the only stable adult relationship in these young people's lives.

If there were such a thing, the average relationship would cost around £2,000 per year to support.  PROMISEworks has also established a mental health fund which pays for additional therapeutic sessions when these are considered necessary to support a young person.

Note that we do not fund any costs that the Local Authority has a Statutory Duty to provide.