Catch 22 and St Giles Trust have received a £300,000 contract from the London Probation Trust to deliver a mentoring scheme in London which will support 150 offenders.

The project, which will last one year, will train ex-offenders to mentor young men serving community sentences. It will involve support with housing, finance, mental health and job searches.

The project will also see around 50 female offenders supported by trained volunteers for up to six months.

The scheme is being run in Southwark, Croydon, Hackney and Greenwich.

Frances Flaxington, director of community justice at Catch22, said:

“We are very excited to be working in partnership with St Giles Trust. This mentoring programme offers us a real opportunity to help reduce re-offending in London and support service users to get back on their feet and go on to be active members in their community.”