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Experiences of young carers looking after a parent with a mental health problem
Research briefing highlights the potential of befriending support

Report on homelessness recommends funders support mentoring schemes
Highlights charities working to prevent people becoming homeless as well as those helping others to ...

UK can learn from Japan about economic and social benefits to be gained from older people
Research explores the urban to rural movement of older people in both countries

V Match Fund re-opens to applications
v the national charity that inspires youth volunteering has re-opened its match funding programme

Hilton in the Community Foundation
Grants to charities and organisations focusing on young people

Red Nose Day - grants over £5,000
This next deadline for these grants is 15 August 2008

Sports Relief Community Foundations Programme
Grants available up to £10,000

Hedley Foundation grants
Supports young people, disabled people and those who are terminally ill

Small grants for charities working with young people from Joanies Trust
Grants up to £1,000 to support projects that offer intensive support to young people

Tender Fund - loans to help third sector
This new Futurebuilders programme offers interest-free three year loans to third sector organisation...

Disability anti-bullying guidance for schools
Government guidance on bullying involving children with SEN and disability launched

Peer mentoring identified as a solution to knife crime
Article in ‘The Independent’ looks at ways of solving current problem

Social Issues in Public Procurement
A new pamphlet aimed at helping create a fairer society through public procurement

Proposed changes to copyright exemptions on playing recorded music in public
Has significant implications for charities and not-for-profit organisations – respond by 31 October ...

ePolitix.com speaks to Peter Collins Chief Executive of MBF
Peter talks about the impact of mentoring and befriending and work that MBF are undertaking to engag...

MBF launches new resource for peer mentors
A free guide with links to information and support websites on a range of topics

Sports stars, musicians and media high-fliers are to help young people reach their potential
£3m funding announced for government Youth Mentoring Programme

Children’s Commissioners assess reality of children’s lives
Peer mentoring listed as one of the good things about being a child in report generally outlining ho...

Prime Minister to meet Faithworks award winners at No 10
Befriending project to attend reception and be thanked for their work

Congratulations to May's APS awarded projects

Mentoring features in national youth magazine
MBF and mentoring programmes reveal what works

Two new peer mentoring programmes launched by Teachers TV/MBF
Watch four 15 minute programmes highlighting good practice within the national peer mentoring pilot ...

Improving services to women offenders
Together Women Programme - an example of good practice

£12.5m allocated to prevent extremism
Mentoring is part of government strategy to prevent radicalisation

Volunteering in health and social care consultation
Mentoring and befriending highlighted by MBF to Department of Health Reference Group

Tackling gangs strategy
Asks if mentoring has been considered as a way of supporting vulnerable young people

Independent inquiry into young adult volunteering
Call for volunteering to be recognised as a pathway to employment

Could I become a lifeline?
Journalist volunteers with refugee mentoring scheme

Teenage mentors to help change culture leading to knife crime
Training teenagers to act as mentors to younger pupils to help them keep out of trouble

Prime Minister's Council on Social Action seeks mentoring and befriending input
Get your views heard and advise the government on new ways to catalyse social action for the social ...

Mentoring success stories at national conference
Young people told their moving stories at national mentoring and befriending conference on 22 May in...

Mentoring/befriending key factors in community cohesion
New report launched at national mentoring and befriending conference 08

Consultation launched on future of care and support
The government wants to hear what people need to have independence, choice and control

Dewey & LeBoeuf wins mentoring award
US firm Dewey & LeBoeuf has been awarded Employer of the Year 2008 for its work with an ethnic minor...

National Peer Mentoring Pilot - MBF releases impressive findings
97% of schools reported improved pupil ability to cope with school life

Congratulations to April's APS awarded projects

Revised guidance on how to get pupils involved published
In an attempt to get pupils involved in their school while acquiring important citizenship skills, t...

More buddy mentors to reduce youth homelessness
A new drive to 'buddy up' young people with positive role models to help prevent youth homelessness ...

The gatekeepers
A scheme is employing ex-inmates as volunteer mentors to help stop prisoners re-offending on their r...

The Watchman looks out for kids with mentor drive
Gospel reggae artist David Williams, otherwise known as The Watchman, has started an initiative to e...

Confidence on the ice-rink of life
Ministers want mentoring for young children to solve behaviour issues early. Yet funding for such pr...

CSV report - volunteering improves mental health
Befriending and mentoring volunteers feature in this report which highlights findings from research ...

New drugs resources for mentors, befrienders and programme co-ordinators
A new series of drugs resources aimed at supporting mentors and befrienders across England with thei...

Someone there when people need a friend
Andy Lloyd became a prisoner in his own home after a breakdown left him too scared to go outside

Feature your project films on the MBF website and at the annual conference
Help us to help you publicise your project, share good practice and promote the value of mentoring a...

Rapport magazine (Spring issue) - read it online now
Our latest full colour issue - packed with inspiring projects, up and coming events, interviews, tip...

10 key personal safety guidelines for mentoring and befriending programmes working with children and young people
Launch of free resources from MBF and the Suzy Lamplugh Trust to help co-ordinators consider persona...

Pupils to get university mentors
Secondary school pupils are to be mentored by university students to encourage them to continue thei...

GoldStar good practice guide to working with disadvantaged volunteers
Order your free copy of the ‘Good Practice Handbook’ now

Mentoring for looked after children Rainer/MBF national pilot
A manual outlining the learning from the DCSF-funded mentoring pilot for Looked After Children (LAC)...

ISA - new launch date for vetting and barring scheme
12 October 2009 is the new go live date for the Independent Safeguarding Authority scheme - see our ...

Small charities offered broadcast quality film for one off fee of £1,000
Media trust is looking to support 25 small charities that would benefit from a short promotional fil...

Accreditation for volunteer mentors and befrienders
The development of a national award/qualification structure for mentors/befrienders and scheme co-or...

Baroness Neuberger has called on the government to make greater use of volunteers in the public sector
The Liberal Democrat peer and government's volunteering adviser used a report on Monday to say that ...

PM mentoring plan to inspire women
Gordon Brown has announced a mentoring scheme to encourage women into business

APS guidance on screening volunteers updated

MBF hosts stand at NCVO national conference
Keynote speaker Ed Miliband, Cabinet Office Minister highlighted the role that mentoring can play in...

Over 60% of attendees sign up to the Approved Provider Standard
9 complimentary workshops took place across England to introduce the Approved Provider Standard (APS...

Young people prove a hit in Leeds
Peer Mentoring was the main focus of the ‘sharing good practice event’ held at Leeds Town Hall on Th...

New intergenerational projects information capture
The Centre for Intergenerational Practice is collating information about what is happening with new ...

Westminster "Celebration" declared a great success
Minister's commitment to mentoring and befriending

Older refugees in need of befriending services
Findings from the experiences of older refugees and asylum seekers reveal that many suffer from isol...

New social networking site provides online mentoring
Horsesmouth launched its website this week with 10 partner organisations, including MBF, profiled on...

National Advisory Council
A wide range of issues facing MBF and all those who work within mentoring and befriending were disc...

The Childrens Plan
School mentors are to be introduced to arrest any decline in a child’s learning or behaviour

MBF response to the Education and Skills Bill
MBF welcomes proposals within this Bill for increasing the age of young people in compulsory educati...

Lessons learnt from looked after children national pilot mentoring scheme
A MBF/RAINER conference is to be held on 4 March 2008 in London to share the learning from this pilo...

Resilience and befriending: conference notes
Befriending Network Scotland held its National Conference and AGM on the theme of Resilience and Bef...