The Life Mentorship Programme sees socially excluded people paired with mentors for a year, to help them reintegrate into normal life.
THE VALUE OF HUMAN RESOURCES
From August 2021 until August 2022, Pakruojis City's Local Activity Group implemented a Life Mentorship project for socially excluded people. It was initiated following a survey of residents of Pakruojis, which showed that after various life setbacks and the Covid-19 pandemic, it's difficult for socially excluded people to get back to a normal life. The programme utilises the most important innovation of all - human resources - to connect people who can help each other.
MENTORS FACILITATE REINTEGRATION
The project identified five people in need (released from prison, alcohol/drug users, a single mother of several children) who were paired up with five mentors who were committed to helping them. The mentors helped participants regain normalcy on a daily basis in different ways, and taught them how to go shopping, make medical appointments, manage finances, find a job, discover their favourite activities, and participated in events. The project was supervised by a psychologist and a coordinator.
LONG-TERM SUPPORT
One year later, the results were astonishing: the participants, who had been socially excluded, returned to a normal life, found jobs, began skills training, and started renting or bought their own homes. It was observed that the long-term mentoring programme minimised relapse into old habits, gave them confidence and a sense of purpose, and improved their psychological well-being. This project was awarded by the Lithuanian Ministry of Interior as an exceptional project in the whole country.
