Heide Busse's mixed-methods PhD studentship explored the area of youth mentoring in the UK. This involved investigating factors influencing the effectiveness of youth mentoring schemes and the methods that were currently used to assess outcomes of schemes, particularly those which are practical to measure and important to individuals involved in the process.

Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship in which an individual gives time to support, guide and encourage another individual and is used in a variety of settings. Youth mentoring has been suggested as one way to provide a young person with trusting and guiding relationship with an adult with the aim of promote health and well-being and preventing negative outcomes. There is a lack of research on the effectiveness of mentoring schemes, particularly in the UK, and questions remain on how outcomes of schemes can and should be assessed.

Heide's PhD was funded by the Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Health Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer).