Peer Mentoring Evaluation: A report on final research findings
Evaluation findings from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) test of Peer Mentoring for individuals with a substance dependency.
Documents
Details
Dame Carol Black’s independent reviews into the impact of employment outcomes on drug and alcohol addiction (reports in 2016 and 2021) highlighted that, alongside treatment, meaningful activity such as employment makes an important contribution to sustaining recovery from a substance dependency. However, individuals with a substance dependency often have complex needs and require specialist intervention to overcome barriers to recovery and employment.
The Peer Mentoring Programme offers one-to-one support from a mentor with lived experience of substance dependency to individuals with a dependency (‘mentees’) to help them to overcome barriers and make progress. Progress can mean different things for different mentees, for example around recovery from dependency, health, wellbeing or the labour market. These are referred to as ‘outcomes’ in this report.
DWP commissioned IFF Research to assess this initiative, and specifically, to:
- understand how Peer Mentoring was implemented and delivered
- examine mentee progression and outcomes
- examine wider outcomes for Jobcentre Plus (JCP) staff, mentors and stakeholders
- identify lessons learnt