YMCA Edinburgh offers a mentoring service to young people (8-14 years) who may be at risk of offending. It is a community service, based in the YMCA, which uses volunteers to work 1:1 with young people both in Leith and Edinburgh. Plusone uses the skills and life experiences of local volunteer mentors to engage young people in their local community.   Volunteer mentors come from a range of backgrounds. Qualifications are not necessary, but empathy, understanding and a non-judgemental attitude are, coupled with an enthusiasm for working with young people. Identification and referral of young people will be based on evidence of a cluster of risk factors in the young person’s life:

• disruption or disengagement at school
• offending, aggressive or antisocial behaviou
• conflict in the house/family
• substance misuse

In February 2015 Plusone mentoring achieved the Scottish Mentoring Network Quality Award and in 2016 the Continuing Excellence and outstanding employee awards. These awards show the level of commitment to the mentors, the young people and partners that Plusone Edinburgh has to providing a quality mentoring service in the City of Edinburgh.

Plusone receives funding from: Robertson Trust, Calton Youth Ministry, Big Lottery and Dr Guthrie Association.