Make Me Honest (BBC2): ONCE upon a time Emily Crompton would have been classified as a do-gooder. Nowadays she's a mentor - a sort of potential fairy godmother to 18-year-old Michael Rowle, who's served nine months for robbery and is trying to go straight.

The model and interior decorator, in her early twenties, had volunteered to help Michael make something of his life and stop him slipping back into his old, bad habits. The programme followed their first six months together, a period of arguments, anger and frustration.

The idea of mentoring originated in America. People like Emily use their "judgement, experience and plain common sense" to help people face life outside prison.

She told us at the beginning: "I am a very happy person", which she attributed to a lovely childhood, wonderful friends and great education - three things conspicuous by their absence in Michael's life in Peckham.

There was a moment which did much to explain Michael's aimlessness and lack of focus when Emily called round to see his mother, only to find she'd moved away without telling Michael and hadn't left a forwarding address. His father was never around when his son was growing up.

As their relationship progressed, Emily grew less happy at the young offender's unwillingness to help himself. He resorted to shouting and swearing when he didn't want to do something. It was like watching a six-year-old have a paddy.

How much was for the benefit of the cameras and what was omitted by cramming six months into 56 minutes of TV is unknown. Would she, I wondered, have been able to conjure up an adventure weekend, a mini-boot camp, if a camera crew hadn't been following her around?

Michael's prospects weren't good, particularly as he didn't seem to want to help himself. His attitude left much to be desired. With just £2.65 in the bank, his next Giro not due for two weeks and an outstanding £100 court fine to pay, he declared: "I'll rob someone." It's a wonder Emily wasn't bald from tearing out her hair.

Being declared officially homeless after his mother's disappearance didn't help. What he would have done without Emily, I don't know. She cajoled people into giving him work and helped him find a place in a hostel.

She may have said "he's like a lost soul sometimes", but there was nothing soft or sentimental about their edgy relationship. She was reduced to tears, he was reduced to ranting.

When Emily got him two days labouring for £150 in a final bid to raise the money for his fine, he still didn't pay off his fine.

All the same, there was a happy ending of sorts. They decided to continue with their mentoring scheme, and Michael has enrolled at college on a Prince's Trust scheme. He has not re-offended.

Published: 16/04/2004