Mayor delivers record mentoring investment for 100,000 young people most in need of support in London

• More than 100,000 young Londoners most in need have accessed mentoring support thanks to Mayor's record £34 million investment  
• Mayor’s relentless support for young people has coincided with the lowest number of teenage and under-25 murders in more than a decade
• Action is part of Sadiq’s ongoing commitment to provide positive opportunities for young people and tackle the underlying causes of crime
• Since the Violence Reduction Unit, England’s first, was set up by the Mayor in 2019, there has been a 24 per cent reduction in homicides, 27 per cent fall in knife injury of a person under-25, and a 17 per cent reduction in personal robbery.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that his record £34 million mentoring mission in the capital has delivered what is believed to be the largest roll-out of targeted support and opportunity for young people in the UK.

Sadiq's investment in mentoring through his New Deal for Young People (NDYP) mission has fulfilled a manifesto pledge to ensure 100,000 young people most in need of support have had access to a mentor. [1]

The target was reached by the end of 2024 – ahead of schedule – and has coincided with the number of teenage and under-25 murders in London being at their lowest level since 2012 and 2003 respectively. Data shows that the number of teenagers tragically killed in 2024 was 12 – down from 21 the year before and lowest recorded since 2012. The number of homicides for those aged under 25 in 2024 was also the lowest in 22 years. [2]

The latest ONS figures also show that the violent crime rate is lower in London than in the rest of the country however the Mayor has always been clear that one death is one too many and we can never arrest our way out of tackling violence. Following the recent tragic murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa in Woolwich, the Mayor is more determined than ever to provide positive opportunities for young Londoners and tackle the causes of crime alongside record investment in the police.

More than 150 youth organisations have provided mentoring opportunities across the capital thanks to funding from City Hall and London's Violence Reduction Unit – including schools, community groups and local authorities to help reach those young people most in need of support and divert them away from harm, exploitation and crime.

This includes thousands of young Londoners, aged between 10 and 24 and from diverse backgrounds, having access to mentoring opportunities either through one-to-one sessions, group classes in schools and youth clubs and hubs or online engagement. Mentoring sessions are tailored dependent on the needs and interests of young people and focus on subjects like music, sport, creative arts, education and careers.

The importance of a trusted adult relationship in a young person’s life is crucial and mentors are recruited from a wide-range of backgrounds and mentoring organisations, that use volunteer mentors, are always looking for support. Sadiq encourages those who are interested to apply to become a mentor to visit the Simply Volunteer London website. [3]

This work has been supported by London Councils and the voluntary and community sector.

Fresh evidence from grassroots community groups shows that the mentoring is working and helping thousands of young Londoners fulfil their potential through improved mental health, personal skills, relationships with family, and finding pathways to training and employment. [4]

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “I know first-hand the difference a trusted mentor can make to a young person's life which is why I’m delighted to announce that I have delivered on my manifesto commitment to provide access to a mentor for 100,000 young people in need of support in London.

“We could not have achieved this incredible milestone alone. I would like to thank the dedicated mentors and organisations we’ve worked with to achieve this target – it is their contributions that have and will continue to make such a difference to young Londoners.

“While I’m proud of our work so far, there is still a huge amount I want to do working with partners to ensure all young Londoners are supported and can grow up to fulfil their potential. Continuing to provide young Londoners with mentors will remain a vital part of ensuring we can build a safer and fairer London for everyone.”

Lib Peck, Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit and co-chair of the New Deal for Young People mission, said: “The Mayor set up the New Deal for Young People mission during the pandemic to boost mentoring and to ensure every young Londoner in need of support had access to a trusted adult for support and guidance.

“We have seen the life-changing impact this relationship can have on a young person, sometimes at a time of crisis.

“That’s why I’m really proud that with the Mayor’s investment and working in partnership with organisations across London, we’ve been able to deliver high-quality mentoring for 100,000 young people to help support them fulfil their potential.”

Vanessa Longley, CEO of Chance UK, said: “We only get one chance at childhood, but children are facing growing challenges. If we leave them to cope alone more will end up in crisis. With funding from the NDYP, Chance UK has reached hundreds more children across London. The Mentoring Quality Framework helps us measure and maintain high standards across all of our work – with the most important voice, the children we support, at the very centre. We believe in getting in early, and giving children the support and tools they need to grow well, making a difference that lasts a lifetime.” [5]

Reggie Nelson, who credits mentoring with taking him from a council estate to a Vice President in private equity and is now a mentor himself, said: “Mentoring transformed my life and opened up a whole career path that I didn’t even know existed, so I’m really pleased that the Mayor Sadiq Khan has delivered this record mentoring investment. I know first-hand how important proper visibility and guidance is to ensure that young people can fulfil their potential and I believe passionately that mentoring can give anyone the platform to learn and succeed.”

Quotes from young Londoners who have received mentoring support from various projects as part of Mayor's New Deal for Young People Mission:

Daniel*, who was supported with mentoring and educational support as well as access to fun and educational activities through the Barnet Carers Trust, said: “The mentor provided a safe space for me to express my feelings and concerns and helped me develop coping strategies and improved my relationship with my brother.” [6]

Amina, who is 15, worked with a mentor as part of the Godwin Lawson Foundation Project – a charity that helps to advance the education of young people so that they can develop their capabilities as members of a tolerant society. She said: “Through mentoring, I’ve became more confident, engaged and motivated to achieve my goals. I’ve seen significant improvement in my emotional well-being, academic performance and social skills.”

Rhianna*, 18, went onto secure a place at University thanks to the mentoring guidance she received from Catalyst in Communities's YouMeUs leadership development and empowerment programme for young people in East London. She said: “YouMeUs helped me understand how to manage my emotions better and to work out how to choose better responses. I finished my course, got a place at University, and I’m so proud of what I’ve achieved!”

“This mentoring experience has changed my life, and I’m excited to discover who I am outside of being a caregiver, ” said Anita*, who worked with mentors at Bikur Cholim, a London-based charity working to ensure that no person has to battle the challenges of illness and disability on their own.

Young Londoner, Jay*, was able to benefit from a mentor as part of the Hounslow Youth Counselling Service. He said: “Honestly, mentoring has changed my outlook on myself and life. I achieved more than I thought was possible, all thanks to my mentor. They helped me understand my emotions and now I feel like a lot of weight has come off my chest.”

Rose*, aged 11 who has received mentoring support thanks to the Mayor's funding, said: “Before I was confused, hurt and misunderstood. My mentor got to know me, she listened, she believes in me and now I believe in myself, I feel more confident – I don’t know what I want to do yet, I don’t know where I’m going. But I know I’m going somewhere, and it keeps me hopeful for the future.”

Notes to Editors:

[1] New Deal for Young People mission

The Mayor's New Deal for Young People (NDYP) mission was created to ensure that 100,000 disadvantaged young Londoners have access to high-quality mentoring opportunities, and that all young Londoners have access to quality local youth activities.

The mission of Sadiq's New Deal for Young People is to create a new deal for London’s young people with support from City Hall, together with London Councils and the charity sector. Its focus is to increase the quality, quantity and sustainability of mentoring and youth activities in London. The focus of the Mayor's investment is on the importance of long-term trusted relationships to a young person. Relationships that can help make a difference in a variety of ways, from building confidence, skills and coping strategies to accessing new social networks and making better informed choices.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and cost-of-living crisis has disproportionately impacted young people’s education and opportunities, restricted their physical and social activities, and took a heavy toll on their mental health and they bore the brunt of job losses. The New Deal for Young People is critical in helping us to build a safer, fairer, more equal city for all Londoners, where no-one is left behind.

Through the New Deal for Young People, the Mayor has made a substantial investment (£34 million) in the mentoring and youth sector. As a result of this investment over 150 different mentoring organisations have been funded to deliver high-quality mentoring support to disadvantaged young Londoners. The focus of mentoring activity is on those young people facing the starkest inequalities and that includes:

• Young people at risk of exclusion
• Care affected young people
• Young refugees and asylum seekers
• Young people from Gypsy, Romany and Traveller Communities

Note: The NDYP Mission began in September 2020 as one of the nine London Recovery Missions post-Covid-19 pandemic. More information is available here: Recovery in context | London City Hall.

Propel Collaboration

Some of the Mayor’s mentoring investment is delivered through Propel – a ground-breaking collaboration including the Mayor, Bloomberg, City Bridge Foundation, The National Lottery Community Fund, Trust for London and London Legal Support Trust.

The collaboration supports organisations led by and for disadvantaged groups, including women and girls, LGBTQ+ communities, Deaf and Disabled people, and communities experiencing racial inequality.

Read more about Propel here: www.londonpropel.org.uk.

London's Violence Reduction Unit

The Mayor set up and funds London’s Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) to pioneer a partnership approach to tackling violence that is rooted in prevention and early intervention. This includes additional youth workers, more support for families and local communities, and programmes for inside and outside school hours to divert young people away from violence and towards employment.

Over the last six years, London's VRU has invested in more than 400,000 positive opportunities for young people, including supporting the delivery of the New Deal for Young People mission. Since it was set up by the Mayor in 2019, there has been a 24 per cent reduction in homicides, 27 per cent fall in knife injury of a person under-25, and a 17 per cent reduction in personal robbery (compared to when the VRU was established).

[2] Crime data:

• The Mayor has always been clear that one death is one too many but figures show that in 2024, London recorded reductions in homicides of young people under-25 and teenagers.
• The number of teenage homicides in London last year (12) was at its lowest total since 2012. The number of homicides of under-25s was 30, down from 48 the previous year, and lowest in 22 years since 2003 (within recorded data period).
• Last year (2024), there was also a decline in the number of people (62) who were fatally stabbed with a knife or similar sharp instrument. This is the lowest total since 2015.
• There were 105 homicides recorded by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) last year. This is the lowest number for any year since the current Mayor took office in 2016 and lowest since 2014. London’s population has risen by more than one million since Sadiq was elected in 2016.
• Between 2010 and 2024 there was a real terms £1.1 billion reduction in government funding to the MPS. Since being elected, Sadiq has doubled the funding the MPS receives from City Hall, taking the amount funded by City Hall from 19% to 26%.
• There is still a lot more work to do but the Mayor is committed to continuing to do everything in his power to build a safer London for all.
• Data Source from 2003 to 2024: MPS Homicide dashboard data - London Datastore

Crimes which have fallen over the Mayoralty (12-month period to May 2016 as compared to 12-month period to December 2024):

• Knife crime with injury victims aged under 25 years (down 24%)   
• Gun Crime Lethal Barrel Discharge (down 38%)
• Violence with Injury (-9%)   
• Homicide (down 13%, or 15 fewer offences)    
• Burglary (down 22%)   

Violent crime rate: ONS stats:

• Overall, the violent crime with injury rate is lower in London than in the rest of England and Wales. In the twelve months to June 2024, there were 27.8 recorded violence against the person offences per 1,000 population in the Met area, which is lower than the national average of 32.9 per 1,000 population. Londoners are, on average, less likely to be a victim of a violence with injury offence than across the rest of England and Wales. This is according to the latest ONS crime stats for the twelve months to June 2024.

[3] Simply Volunteer London website: Simply Volunteer London | Discover Volunteering Opportunities Across London.

[4] Impact of mentoring:

• The focus of the Mayor’s New Deal for Young People is on building trusted relationships, over time, with some of the most disadvantaged young Londoners aged 10-24. Young people engaged include those experiencing low income and poverty; those at risk of violence or exploitation; those with mental health concerns; those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND); those at risk of exclusion for school, and those known to social care.
• Some of these young people will not have had experience of trusted relationships in their lives and we know that building effective trusting relationships can take significant time and skill.
• Over 100,000 young people have now had access to mentoring through the Mayor’s investment and significant outcomes have been achieved. Evidence includes improved mental health; improved relationships; improved socio-emotional skills; improved learning and work outcomes; reduced risk and harmful behaviours. These are all areas of significant positive progress and change in a young person’s life and are supported by many inspiring case studies shared directly from young people.
• Whilst some of the outcomes achieved do include accessing employment and training, given the age range of young people participating and the levels of need being addressed, they are not the always the main measure of impact.
• Given the range of support needs faced by young people, mentoring organisations funded by the New Deal for Young People have each adopted an evidence-based approach, in line with the Mayor’s Violence Reduction Unit’s outcomes framework, to report individual progress of a young person, through their mentoring relationship.

[5] Chance UK:

• Today, the Mayor joined Lib Peck, the Director of London’s Violence Reduction Unit, who is also co-chair of the New Deal for Young People, in a visit to Chance UK to see how his £1.2 million funding has delivered one-to-one mentoring support to 200 children aged 10-14.

  It has been running since April 2023 and has helped vulnerable and disadvantaged young people develop their self-esteem, confidence and wellbeing.

• The Mentoring Quality Framework was developed by the Mayor in partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Action for Race Equality. It is a self-assessment toolkit and was co-produced by over 300 youth professionals to set the core standards of high-quality mentoring and has now been accessed by over 900 youth organisations. There is more information here: Mentoring Quality Framework | London City Hall.

[6] Please note, at their request, we have not used the real names of young people in the following quotes to protect their identity: David, Rhianna, Anita, Jay and Rose.