Civil society in action: insights into volunteer-based community mentoring for reentry support

This study examined YouTurn's program, a volunteer-based mentoring initiative for individuals released after completing their full prison sentences in Israel. Unlike parolees, this group generally lacks structured transitional and healthcare support, risks of adverse health outcomes, and recidivism. Drawing on semi-structured interviews with mentors, staff, and institutional partners involved in the program, the study employed thematic analysis to explore the program's strengths, challenges, and broader implications. Findings indicate that YouTurn's civilian volunteer mentors deliver holistic support that addresses emotional, social, and practical reentry needs, while fostering organizational cohesion and continuity during crisis. The program's distinctive reliance on civic volunteers offers an alternative model of support rooted in community commitments, positioning YouTurn as a strengths-based intervention that fills gaps in current rehabilitation policy. Respondents also indicated significant challenges, including participants' dropout, limited resources, and a lack of diversity among mentees. The study extends theoretical understandings of mentoring models and demonstrates the potential of civic volunteer-driven initiatives to complement peer- and professional-based approaches in offender rehabilitation.