Vis à Vis. Mentoring processes and responsibility in juvenile justice and residential youth care centers: preliminary results

Justice-involved juveniles frequently present significant social and psychological difficulties linked to complex trauma, insecure attachment, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which may impair emotional regulation, identity development, and relational functioning, increasing the risk of antisocial behavior. Within this framework, the Vis à Vis project, developed under the European Researchers' Night initiative SuperScienceMe, aims to promote future-oriented planning and personal change among at-risk youth (14, 25) through integrated psychological and educational support. Its objectives include enhancing empowerment and self-regulation, fostering responsibility and awareness of behavioral consequences, and promoting restorative justice through reparative actions and social inclusion. Implemented by the “Magna Graecia” University of Catanzaro and authorized by the Italian Ministry of Justice, the project involved 12 participants (5 juveniles and 7 student mentors) in structured experiential activities under professional supervision, following a multi-phase design. Preliminary findings indicate increased self-awareness, improved interpersonal skills, greater accountability, and enhanced future orientation among juveniles involved. Despite its exploratory nature, the project highlights the value of mentoring-based, restorative approaches in addressing developmental vulnerabilities and supporting positive behavioral change.