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The Mentoring and Befriending Foundation (MBF) 2011 funding survey highlights the grave impact that spending cuts are having on mentoring and befriending projects across the UK.

It reveals both the current and future funding climate for projects with around a third of projects revealing that they have made cuts to their project already with many uncertain of survival beyond the short-term.

72% of the projects surveyed feel that the spending cuts are likely to have an impact on their project during the next year.

Mentoring and befriending projects make an immense contribution to improving the lives and outcomes of those at risk of social isolation or exclusion from mainstream society.

Responses from more than 140 mentoring and befriending projects express deep concern for the people who use their services and volunteers of mentoring and befriending projects that, as more and more projects are squeezed and unable to secure funding in the future, so the vital support these services provide will be lost.

This is in spite of seeing an increased demand for services: 79% of projects anticipate greater demand for their services over the coming year.

In addition, 44% have seen an increase in volunteer applications.

However, the pressure to reduce costs means that many projects are looking to reduce the number of clients and volunteers they support.

Chief executive for the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation, Steve Matthews said: “This report highlights the very real pressure that mentoring and befriending projects are under, but also points to the extraordinary capacity and resilience of projects in responding to the cuts.

"The report highlights many of the fundraising and other strategies being employed by projects to cope with the challenges they are facing.”