TIME may be running out for a successful mentoring scheme which helps young offenders avoid falling into a life of crime.

The project, run by the Swindon Youth Offending Team, costs £30,000 a year and only has Home Office funding until October.

If no more cash is found it will probably have to close.

Set up in January 2002, its aim is to help troubled youngsters with literacy and numeracy, to help raise their self esteem and to stop them re-offending

It won praise from former High Sheriff for Wiltshire, Sir Christopher Benson, who has been involved from the early days. He paid a visit last month when a new sign designed and made by seven young offenders was installed at its offices in Green Road, Stratton.

Co-ordinator Liz Purling said: "Our main concern is that the project has been proving immensely successful, but we are running out of time."

Now they are planning to try and win grants and sponsorship from other organisations and companies as well as the public sector.

The project has just completed training for its most recent batch of volunteer mentors. There are now around 30.

But there are no plans to train any more unless or until funding is in place after October.

The project has proved a valuable resource for many young offenders. So far, not one person has re-offended while on the project and many have managed to start turning their lives around.

Mentors give an hour a week to listen and talk to teenagers who have often dropped out of mainstream schooling and have problems with their home lives.

Ms Purling said: "A lot of youngsters that we deal with are badly behaved, but when you look at some of the things that have happened in their lives, you begin to understand some of the anger that they are feeling."

The project gives them the support they need to change their behaviour and their outlook on life, she added.

Tina Clarke