The work of Chance UK relies entirely on the volunteer mentors who deliver the service; a good pool of potential mentors is vital to the important process of making a successful child-mentor match. In selecting a mentor we look carefully at our assessment of what the child needs – if a child needs to get out and play more then a happy-go-lucky mentor is required; if the child is football crazy then it helps if his or her potential mentor has at least heard of Arsenal or Tottenham. Our Volunteer Recruitment Officer develops our mentor recruitment work in London and ensures the replication of our tested approaches and developed best practice in our regional projects. He carries out concerted and targeted activities to build awareness of Chance UK's mentoring opportunities among the target groups we particularly wish to reach, developing contacts in key communities and local media with the aim of attracting more volunteers from the communities we serve. 88% of the children we support are boys – many of whom would benefit hugely from having a positive male role model in their lives; to this end we are constantly working to recruit male mentors. The opportunity to offer particular children mentors or mentors from within their own communities can also offer certain children a very important and valuable example. In the last six years the work of our Volunteer Recruitment Officer has very significantly increased the number of male and black and minority ethnic volunteers coming forward. In London our new mentor recruits are currently 44% from local black and minority ethnic communities and 35% male. We find that men, although interested in the idea of mentoring, are often concerned about the possibility that their support for a child could be misinterpreted, and yet may be reticent about asking questions about this on the phone or in a mixed group. The VRO introduced Men Only Information Nights, evening events when men can discuss becoming a mentor, and we can explain the importance of early intervention, the need for the work, and the particularly important role a male mentor can play for some Chance UK children. These sessions also clarify and discuss the police checks and other checks, training and support all mentors are given. The evenings have proved very popular and have helped raise the proportion of men in our mentor training groups to over 1/3. The VRO works with our National Development Manager to plan and deliver training in volunteer mentor recruitment procedures to staff in new and planned Chance UK projects in other areas. This part of his work includes researching and preparing information, materials and resources for training sessions, and keeping prepared materials up-to-date. Training from our London project is vital in ensuring the new projects are able to replicate the successful approach and procedures developed in the London project over the last 12-years. Prior to and after the launch of new regional projects, the VRO works with their staff over the phone and by internet to advice, support and answer questions relating to all aspects of mentor recruitment matters, as needed.