SFJ HF37
Develop and embed mentoring/befriending policies and practice
/ This standard is about developing and maintaining policies and procedures relevant to ensuring that the provision of mentoring/befriending services within your organisation meets the agreed strategy, and fulfils regulatory, ethical and social requirements relating to mentoring/befriending.
Where the standard refers to the `individual', this refers to the person being mentored/befriended.
There is one element
1 Develop and embed mentoring/befriending policies and practice
Target group
This standard is recommended for managers/coordinators with responsibility for developing mentoring/befriending policies and procedures.
Performance criteria
You must be able to: / P1develop and agree policies and procedures towards providing mentoring/ befriending services in line with your organisation's aims and objectives
P2monitor relevant national legal, regulatory, ethical and social requirements relating to mentoring/befriending and determine the effect for your organisation's mentoring/befriending services, including what will happen if these are not fulfilled
P3develop and agree effective policies and procedures to make sure your organisation meets the necessary requirements, in line with your organisation's strategy for developing mentoring/befriending services
P4develop procedures for safeguarding both mentors/befrienders and those individuals being mentored/befriended
P5make sure that relevant people have a clear understanding of the policies and procedures, and the importance of putting them into practice
P6monitor the way policies and procedures are put into practice, and provide support towards embedding them
P7encourage a climate of openness about meeting and not meeting the requirements of the policies and procedures
P8identify and correct any failures to meet the requirements
P9identify reasons for not meeting requirements and adjust the policies and procedures to reduce the likelihood of failures in the future
P10make appropriate information available promptly to those who need it and have a right to the information
P11provide full reports about any failures to meet the requirements to the relevant stakeholders, in line with your organisation's procedures
Knowledge and understanding
You need to know and understand: / Legislative, regulatory and organisational requirements
K1legal and organisational requirements relevant to the provision of mentoring/befriending services, and their impact for developing policies and procedures within your organisation
K2legislation, policies and procedures relating to data protection, health and safety, diversity and their impact for your area of operations
K3the importance of having an ethical and value-based approach to mentoring/befriending, and how to develop and embed associated policies and procedures
K4the role of your organisation and its mentoring/befriending services, and how they relate to those of other organisations and services
You need to know and understand: / Developing and embedding policies and practice
K5the range of policies and procedures required to develop and embed mentoring/befriending services in line with your organisation's strategy
K6the local community and the factors affecting the demand for mentoring/befriending services
K7the resources available to your organisation, and sources of information that can aid prioritising of resources
K8processes for maintaining the relevant policies and procedures, and for making sure they continue to be effective and sustainable
K9different ways in which people may not meet the requirements and the risks of these actually happening
K10procedures for dealing with people who do not meet the requirements, including requirements for reporting
K11how to identify potential risks in relation to maintaining the policies and procedures
K12the importance of consulting with colleagues and other stakeholders during the development of policies and procedures, and how to do this effectively, and the importance of sharing information
K13how to develop measures and methods for monitoring and evaluating the success of policies and procedures
K14the principles of confidentiality, and how to develop guidelines for exchanging information between individuals and agencies
Developed by / Skills for Justice
Version number / 1
Date approved / April 2010
Indicative review date / April 2015
Validity / Current
Status / Original
Originating organisation / Skills for Justice
Original URN / SFJ HF37
Relevant occupations / Public Services; Public Service and Other Associate Professionals
Suite / Mentoring and Befriending of Offenders and those at risk of offending
Key words / Mentoring, Befriending, offenders, policies
SFJ HF37Develop and embed mentoring/befriending policies and practice1