"At a national level the Learning and Skills Council has acknowledged the value of mentoring and befriending provided by projects and the need to ensure the quality offered is of a high standard. As a result, MBF is working with the LSC NE - aiming to improve mentoring and befriending services delivered by organisations working with ex-offenders, via the promotion/achievement of APS."
Hilary Porter, Skills Development Manager, Learning and Skills Council

1. Interested in APS?

MBF is committed to promoting voluntary regulation of mentoring and befriending projects through the Approved Provider Standard (APS), the national quality standard for organisations running mentoring and befriending projects. APS is supported by the Office of the Third Sector and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

APS is unique in its focus on mentoring and befriending projects. APS projects operate to a nationally approved standard that provides a reliable and objective benchmark of safe and effective practice.

Over 800 projects have been accredited with APS since 2001, which range from large, national organisations through to regional and smaller projects.

APS is made up of 12 elements  focusing on the key management and operational areas that underpin the effectiveness of any mentoring or befriending project. In order to achieve APS, you must demonstrate that your project meets all the requirements across each of these elements. For more information about APS in detail please read the Approved Provider Standard: 12 Elements.

• External recognition for safe and effective practice in mentoring and befriending
• APS is an accepted benchmark by government departments and other funding bodies that will help with your funding applications
• Increased public confidence in your mentoring or befriending programmes to help promote your programme to potential service users and volunteers
• Provides a ‘health check’ of your project to ensure that you are operating in a professional way
• Entry onto the online APS directory of Approved Providers to allow:
  • Practitioners to network and share good practice
  • Potential volunteers and service users to contact your project
• Entitlement to MBF membership whilst ‘Working Towards’ APS offering:
• Complimentary copy of Rapport magazine
• Discounted registration fees for our national training programme
• Resources and research available at a discounted rate
• Discounted registration fee for the MBF national conference
• Certification and use of the ‘Approved Provider Standard’ logo, to help promote and raise the profile of your project