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Steve told epolitix.com that the future is reasonably bright  for mentoring and befriending programmes because fortunately mentoring is very high up on the political agenda at the moment.  He explained:

“It comes across in a number of policy strands. For example, the DCSF are attaching a lot of importance to mentoring through their Aim Higher initiative. It is also reflected in the Children's Plan where mentoring is a key part of the plan. There is also interest from the DCLG in the role that mentoring and befriending can play in supporting community cohesion”.

Steve further explained why he feels that the government has taken notice of mentoring and befriending:

“ I think they have always believed that one-to-one support, particularly where it is voluntarily given, is a way of supporting socially excluded or vulnerable groups of people. In many ways, it is there to support existing services. And in some cases, it can actually provide a better more useful service to individuals who desperately need support and contact from other individuals in their lives”.

Other questions posed during the interview included: 

• When was the foundation created and how far has it come since then?
• What does the future look like for the foundation?
• Why do you think the government has taken notice of the value of mentoring and befriending?
• Are you involved in working with cross-party MPs and policy makers?
• What are the main challenges facing mentoring and befriending in the short and long term?
• What has been the impact of the current economic climate and what is the MBF doing to continue unabated?

Read the full interview with Steve
Find out more about MBF's strategic review
Read more about MBF recession resources