Funding for offender mentoring services
22 May 2017
The Scottish Government has announced funding of £3.4 million to be shared between four mentoring services working to reduce reoffending.
The four schemes receiving funding are:
- Shine Public Social Partnership (PSP) - a national service for women leaving prison, on remand, or struggling to complete community sentences
- New Routes Public Social Partnership (PSP) - a national service for young men leaving prison
- Moving On Public Social Partnership (PSP) - which supports young men leaving HMP Polmont
- Tayside Council on Alcohol (TCA) - which provides support for men and women on community sentences and other court orders.
The funding was announced by Justice Secretary Michael Matheson on a visit to Tayside Council on Alcohol in Dundee. Mr Matheson said:
"One-to-one mentoring has been shown to turn people away from crime by helping them address practical or personal problems, such as relationship issues, accessing housing or healthcare, or finding training or work. Supporting people to overcome these challenges can stop them offending in the future.
“This funding follows the £15.5 million we have invested through the Reducing Reoffending Change Fund, to create new services that offer mentoring for men and women, either to build a new and better life after their release, or to comply with community sentences. This is a key element of our record support for community justice services, which has helped to bring down Scotland’s reconviction rate to its lowest level in 18 years.”
Kathryn Baker, Interim Director of TCA added:
"We are delighted to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to TCA today and are very pleased that the Scottish Government is continuing its support for our Public Social Partnership (PSP) which has seen the development of a strong public and third sector partnership across Tayside.
“Our community based mentoring service has made a real difference the lives of women and young men seeking to break the cycle of offending. Today Mr Matheson was able to learn at first-hand how our partnership works in action and hear the real stories from people who are gradually getting their lives back on track."
