MediaCom: Key Mentor Academy

In Autumn 2022 and Spring 2023, MediaCom will support the Key Mentor Academy, training 20 young men to provide support, guidance, and inspiration to those leaving the prison system. Key Mentors are graduates of Key4Life’s 7 step rehabilitation programme, who have been deemed suitable to motivate and inspire others to re-build their lives. The training will enable them to help future cohorts through the 7-step programme and therefore this investment will have an impact for years to come.

Acting as catalysts for change with their experience and training, Key Mentors bring restorative justice to communities that have frequently been disproportionately monitored and penalised by the justice system. The lived experiences, perspective, and relatability of Key Mentors is at the very heart of the training process and is instrumental in engaging young men. For many years, Key4Life have seen how these peer mentors have had greater impact than professional mentors on the lives of those leaving the prison system. These mentors play a pivotal role in driving Key4Life’s tangible outcomes for those leaving the prison system:

• 73% of participants moved into employment or training six months after Key4Life programme
• 78% of participants reported improved emotional resilience
• Just 3% of participants were arrested or recalled

As well as being trained to help others, the mentor training also acts as personal development for the Key mentors themselves, further improving their prospects of employment and strong wellbeing. This is an equitable opportunity for learning and leadership development, that the target audience has access barriers to.