Starfish

A Salvation Army schools mentoring programme for young people aged 9–16 years.

Time spent with caring adults outside of the home and classroom can have a profound impact on how young people see themselves and the world around them. Starfish supports young people who need confidential support for personal issues of any kind, including those struggling with:

emotional health and wellbeing
learning and motivation
risk of exclusion
effects of the Covid-19 pandemic

Every young person has unique skills, talents and abilities, but not always the opportunity to flourish. Starfish provides opportunities for young people to feel supported, to develop positive personal and relational life skills, to build healthy emotional wellbeing and to reach their potential.

Working as part of a school’s student wellbeing programme, trained Starfish mentors commit to meeting with young people who have been identified as needing help with their health, educational or social development.

Starfish aims to make a difference to young people, one by one. The programme is inspired by the story of the man who throws stranded starfish back into the sea one by one. Challenged on what difference it can possibly make to the thousands of beached starfish around him, he replies: ‘It made a difference to that one!’